MALIBU, Calif. - Pitching has been the star for the Gaels over their three-game winning streak and they got another quality start from junior right hander
Donovan Chriss who went into the sixth inning, allowing just one run with six strikeouts to earn his third win of the season. Chriss had the worst outing of his career last week against San Diego but completely turned the page today as he struck out six batters and got some great defense behind him to help earn his third win of the season and bring his ERA back down to 6.40.
It wasn't the best game offensively for Saint Mary's but the game turned for the Gaels in the bottom of the second inning when head coach
Eric Valenzuela was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Bleiberg on a close 3-2 pitch that walked the batter with two outs. The very next at-bat, Chriss struckout the Waves hitter on three pitches and sent the Gaels dugout into a frenzy to strand two runners and keep the game scoreless. Saint Mary's played with an intense energy for the remainder of the game, ran the bases well, made team plays and were able to hold Pepperdine to just two runs en route to the 4-2 victory.
That moment could be circled in the team's season as a momentum shifter as the Gaels have now won three straight and continue to make up ground in the conference standings.
Aiden Taurek had an RBI single in the third and the Gaels ran their way to three more runs in the fifth to help seal the win.
Derik Eaquinto picked up his first career save in his three years with the program, closing out the ninth.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
2ND INNING
Arguably the most influential moment of the game occurred in the bottom of the second inning where Pepperdine worked a 3-2 walk with two outs to put runners on second and third. A quick trigger from home plate umpire Ryan Bleiberg would see Gaels head coach
Eric Valenzuela ejected from the game after the ball four call.
Despite the ejection, the Gaels bench rose to their feet and cheered on Chriss as he had a chance to end the threat with two on and two out. Chriss went on to throw three straight sharp breaking balls and got Pepperdine's Joey Damelio to fan at all three to end the inning and send the Gaels bench into a frenzy. They rushed to congratulate Chriss as he walked off the mound and the momentum fully swung the Gaels way and never left.
Saint Mary's carried that energy into the top of the third as
Aiden Taurek rifled a ball into right field to score
Tanner Griffith from second, giving them a 1-0 lead. Griffith flew head first into home to beat the throw for his 30th run scored of the season.
5TH INNING
The Gaels carried their one-run lead into the fifth but would tack on three more with some stellar baserunning in what would be a wild fifth inning. After a two-out single from
Eddie Madrigal to keep the inning alive,
Cody Kashimoto would rip a ball back up the middle to score Madrigal but Kashimoto was thrown out trying to stretch it to second base after the Waves center fielder bobbled the initial ground ball off the single.
Upon replay review, Kashimoto acrobatically swung his right arm around the tag and reached safely with his left. The initial out call that ended the inning was overturned and as a result, Madrigal was able to score all the way from first and the inning continued.
After a hit by pitch from Taurek,
Ryan Pierce would come to the plate with a chance to do some real damage. Pierce went down 1-2 in the count and then swung through a breaking ball in the dirt that got away from the Pepperdine catcher. With the dropped third strike, Pierce hustled his way down to first and an errant throw from the catcher would get into right field allowing Kashimoto to score from second.
Aiden Taurek was also getting the wave home from third base coach
Daniel Costanza but got held up after a good throw home from the right fielder beat him to the plate. With Taurek well off the third base bag, Pierce would leave first and take off for second in an effort to put himself in a rundown and give Taurek a chance to score before he was tagged out. That exact sequence would take place as Pierce stayed in the pickle long enough, allowing Taurek to touch home right before he was tagged out. Once again, the Gaels bench erupted as they scored two runs with great hustle and a selfless act from Pierce on the bases.
7TH INNING
Another huge moment for Saint Mary's would occur in the bottom of the seventh inning when Pepperdine loaded the bases with just one out down 4-1. Sophomore right hander
Noah Waldeck would enter the game for
Talin Gardini who replaced Chriss back in the sixth. The Waves would get a single and two walks to load the bases. In a huge situation, Waldeck would induce a ground ball to third base and
Ryan Pierce would touch third and make a strike over to first for the inning ending double play.
Pierce has been showing some stellar leather down at third base in recent weeks and made a huge play to keep Pepperdine off the scoreboard and take a three-run lead into the eighth.
9TH INNING
Garret Plata would pitch a clean eighth inning and turn things over to senior lefty
Derik Eaquinto. Eaquinto has not been his normal self this season, in his six starts he is 0-3 on the year and gave up three runs without recording an out in his last relief appearance against San Diego. Nevertheless, the entire Saint Mary's baseball team had faith in the fifth year senior as he looked for his first career save.
Eaquinto threw plenty of strikes as he gave up two hits and surrendered a run, but got a fly ball out to center and a ground out to short to end the game and hang on for the 4-2 victory. Eaquinto would in fact pick up his first career save and Chriss would get back in the win column with a productive 5+ inning performance.
A game like this could be circled as a difference maker for the Gaels season; they only had three hits on the afternoon but played as a team and brought great energy from the dugout. Hustle plays, great defense and quality pitching are key factors to winning ball games, and Saint Mary's did exactly that this afternoon to seal the series victory and win their third straight.
BY THE NUMBERS
Pepperdine had 12 hits but left a game high 12 runners on base including four costly errors. The three hits for Saint Mary's came from
Aiden Taurek,
Cody Kashimoto and
Eddie Madrigal, the top three hitters in the Gaels lineup.
On the flip side, Saint Mary's had no errors and turned two critical inning-ending double plays. The Gaels pitching staff only walked four batters and struck out a game high nine, helping leave runners stranded in big moments in the game and limiting their free passes which have plagued them in previous games.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Gaels improved to 18-19 overall and 4-7 in conference play, extending their win streak to three games. They will look for their first conference sweep tomorrow afternoon against Pepperdine with first pitch slated for 1:00 PM.
John Damozonio will get the ball for his second start of the season. You can catch all the action live on ESPN+ and get your tickets online at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
