MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's (28-16, 11-5 WCC) found themselves in an early 1-0 hole in the middle of the first, but quickly turned that deficit to a lead in the bottom of the frame, and rode that momentum all the way to victory against the Pepperdine Waves (12-30, 6-10 WCC), cruising to a 9-2 victory.The Gaels mashed 14 hits in the opener of the three game set with the Waves, with eight of nine starters recording at least on knock.
Derik Eaquinto occupied his usual Friday starter role, and was extremely efficient, offering just 100 pitches to get through seven full innings. He surrendered the opening run in the top of the first, but rebounded to toss the five next frames scoreless, before allowing the Waves second run in his final inning of work in the second. Ryan Wiltse relieved Eaquinto and was his usual stellar self, surrendering just one hit through two innings full, while striking out one, closing out the victory for the Gaels. The Gaels are unbeaten in each of Eaquinto's last three starts.
Down 1-0 after a triple and a sacrifice fly from Pepperdine in the first, the Gaels wasted no time regaining momentum and the lead in the bottom half. With one out, Coleman Schmidt hammered the first pitch he saw from Pepperdine starter Nick Bonn over the left field wall. Then, with two outs, Ryan Pierce blasted a ball opposite field over the right field fence to push the Gaels in front.
The Gaels piled on the insurance runs in the second. Nathan Chong and Jared Mettam logged back to back single, bringing Gavin Napier to the plate, back in the lineup for the first time since 4/23. Napier shot a ball back up the middle that was knocked down on a diving attempt by shortstop Julian Nunez of the Waves. The ball was slowed enough to allow Nathan Chong to score from second. Dalton Mashore then broke up his brief 0-for-5 slump with a double to deep right that plated Mettam and moved Napier to third. Schmidt would log his second rbi of the day with an RBI groundout, scoring Napier, and with two away, Pierce would log his second RBI knock, a single through the left side, scoring Mashore. In the blink of an eye, the Gaels went from down 1-0 to up 6-1.
Saint Mary's bats would cool of until the sixth inning, when Schmidt would launch his second home run of the game, a no-doubter to left center, with two outs and Mettam on third, bringing the score to 8-1. Pepperdine would respond with one in the seventh, but the Gaels would add on one more in the eighth, when Mashore singled, stole second, and scored on Christian Almanza's lone hit of the game, an RBI single to right.
Jared Mettam accounted for three of the Gaels 14 hits today, scoring a pair of runs. It was his third three hit game of the season, all of which have come in the last two weeks. Coleman Schmidt notched his first multi-home run game of the season, and the third of his career.
The Gaels and Waves will be back at it at 3 PM tomorrow, pushed back from the originally scheduled 1 PM first pitch due to rain in the forecast.
Saint Mary's full schedule can be viewed here and season tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
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