Box Score MORAGA, Calif. – The Pepperdine Waves evened the three-game series at a game apiece with their own convincing victory on Saturday at Louis Guisto Field. The Waves used a six-run rally in the third inning to lead them to a 7-1 win.
 
The Gaels struck first when Javy Espinoza drove in Christopher Campos in the second inning, but the Waves starting pitcher Trevor Hinkel kept SMC from getting anything else, retiring 11 in a row at one point.
 
Things got away from Saint Mary's in an odd third inning that started with a walk of Pepperdine's ninth-place hitter on four pitches. That was followed by their designated hitter bouncing a chopper up the first base line that Christian Almanza tried to let roll foul but stayed in fair territory.
 
A bunt dropped into no-man's land between the mound and the third base line, along with some miscommunication between the Gaels as to who was going to field it, and suddenly the bases were loaded with no one out.
 
After a pop up to short, Conner Roberts hit consecutive batters that had two strikes on them to put Pepperdine on top 2-1. The Waves then got a base hit to drop inside the right field line to score a run, and a groundout made it 4-1. The final blow of the inning came on a double to right center, despite a great diving effort from Dalton Mashore, that scored two more runs to make it 6-1 Waves.
 
The Gaels would hit into a pair of double plays when they did get runners on against the Waves starter after that point.
 
UP NEXT
The rubber match of the series is set for 1:00 p.m. Sunday, April 10 at 1:00 p.m.