Friday, March 20
Moraga, CA
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Pepperdine
#22 Tanner Griffith: 19 GP/19 GS, .391 BA, .562 OB%, 25 H, 6 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI this season
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
BSB | Saint Mary’s to Host Pepperdine in WCC Opener
3/18/2026 2:12:00 PM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's baseball team kicks off its West Coast Conference schedule this Friday playing host to the Pepperdine Waves. The Gaels will enter conference play with a 11-9 record and look for their first conference opening series win since taking two against San Diego in 2024.
The Gaels walked away from their five-game week with a 1-4 record but still managed to average over 13 hits per game and enter conference play with the best offense in the WCC. Head coach Eric Valenzuela will welcome his alma mater Pepperdine to Moraga after playing for the Waves from 1999-2001. The Gaels have won seven consecutive games over the Waves dating back to the 2024 season.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Pepperdine | Louis Guisto Field at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium
Moraga, Calif. | March 20-22
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Jacob Johnson Continues to Mash, Leads WCC in Several Offensive Categories…
Jacob Johnson has put the country on notice through the first five weeks of the season, ranking 26th in all of Division I in batting average at .439 and fifth in total hits with 36. The Cuesta Junior College transfer got off to a scorching start, tying the national lead with seven home runs through the first three weeks of the season. The power numbers have tapered off in recent games but ironically Johnson's average has only climbed as he has become a singles and doubles machine out of the three-spot in the lineup.
Over the weekend, Johnson led the Gaels with nine hits and a .529 batting average over his four games in Phoenix. Johnson had a game-tying double in game three against Rice where Saint Mary's went on to erase a six-run deficit and beat the Owls 11-8. Johnson currently leads the conference in batting average (.439), hits (36), slugging (.817), OPS (1.306), runs scored (22), RBI (32) and home runs (8).
Gaels Erase 6-Run Deficit for 11-8 Win over Rice…
Saint Mary's had outhit its opponents 29-19 through the first two games in Phoenix but found themselves winless with a pair of one-run defeats. Their luck would turn though in the morning game of Sunday's doubleheader as the Gaels recorded a season high 19 hits and erased a six-run deficit to defeat Rice 11-8.
The Gaels posted six in the sixth and another five in the eighth to score all eleven runs over their final three at-bats. True freshman Dario Freschi belted his first career home run in the sixth inning that cut the deficit to one before an RBI double from Tanner Griffith would tie the game at six. Two innings later, the Gaels got RBI doubles from Jacob Johnson and Diego Castellanos followed by a go-ahead RBI triple from Makoa Sniffen to give Saint Mary's the lead for good at 9-8.
Saint Mary's and Rice had only met once prior to the weekend with the Owls defeating the Gaels 10-6 back in 2003. The win on Sunday would mark the first win in program history for the Gaels.
Luis Martin Romero Records First Win in Homecoming…
There are familiar names all over the Gaels pitching staff but several newcomers have gotten off to good starts on the mound including junior transfer Luis Martin Romero. Romero made two appearances last week and recorded his first win as a Gael in their 11-8 victory over Rice on Sunday. Romero came in to close the top of the eighth and recorded a strikeout, allowing Saint Mary's to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning to seal the win.
The Arizona native had a great turnout of friends and family at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark as he finished his weekend with a 3.38 ERA allowing just one run off two hits with four strikeouts. Romero has been a specialty arm out of the pen for the Gaels this season, showcasing a unique arm slot and quirky windup that keeps hitters off balance throughout his outing. For the season, Romero has a 2.45 ERA and is tied for the second most appearances with six this season. Opposing batters are hitting just .216 off Romero and he also has eleven strikeouts to add to his resume.
One of the Best Offenses in the West, NCAA Rankings…
Offense has been a calling card for the Gaels over the last several seasons and after leading the WCC in 2025, they are back at it again here in 2026. The Gaels rank tied for fifth in team batting average at .345 and fourth in total hits with 246 out of all of Division I. Notable teams rounding out the top-five in hits include Texas Tech (242), Louisville (250) and ACC member Georgia Tech who leads the nation with 280 hits. Other NCAA rankings include 12th in doubles, 10th in sacrifice bunts and 20th in slugging percentage.
Seven of their nine everyday starters are hitting above .300 through the first 20 games of the season including .400+ averages from Jacob Johnson and Diego Castellanos. Saint Mary's has finished top-two in team batting average each of the last two seasons in the WCC and will certainly be seen as one of the best offenses on the west coast here in 2026.
Series History…
It's been all Gaels over the last two seasons as Saint Mary's is riding a seven-game win streak over the Waves dating back to 2024. Pepperdine was a west coast baseball powerhouse back in the early 2000's but have not won back-to-back games over the Gaels since the 2021 season. Valenzuela will look for his eighth consecutive win over his alma mater on Friday as Saint Mary's has won 11 of its last 14 meetings with the Waves dating back to 2021.
ABOUT THE WAVES (4-15, 0-0 WCC)
The Pepperdine Waves will enter the first week of conference play with the second worst record at 4-16 overall. The Waves have scheduled notable opponents like USC who started the 2026 season 19-0, mid-major powerhouse UC Santa Barbara, Big Ten member Michigan and most recently the unanimous number one ranked team in the nation in UCLA. The Waves did pull off a win in that three-game series with the Wolverines and fell Tuesday night of this week to the Bruins in a competitive game 5-4.
Pepperdine was picked to finish ninth out of the ten WCC member schools in the 2026 Preseason Poll. The Waves own a .230 team batting average this season and are led by true freshman James Dell'Amico who is hitting .327 through 16 games. Shortly behind Dell'Amico are a pair of DII Westmont transfers in Trey Dunn and Daniel Patterson. Both were four-year players at Westmont in the PacWest conference as second-year head coach Tyler LaToree was hired from Westmont in 2024 and brought over the duo here in 2026. Dunn is hitting .286 with a pair of homers while Patterson is hitting .282 with a team high four home runs.
Stream the weekend series on ESPN+ and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels walked away from their five-game week with a 1-4 record but still managed to average over 13 hits per game and enter conference play with the best offense in the WCC. Head coach Eric Valenzuela will welcome his alma mater Pepperdine to Moraga after playing for the Waves from 1999-2001. The Gaels have won seven consecutive games over the Waves dating back to the 2024 season.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Pepperdine | Louis Guisto Field at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium
Moraga, Calif. | March 20-22
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Jacob Johnson Continues to Mash, Leads WCC in Several Offensive Categories…
Jacob Johnson has put the country on notice through the first five weeks of the season, ranking 26th in all of Division I in batting average at .439 and fifth in total hits with 36. The Cuesta Junior College transfer got off to a scorching start, tying the national lead with seven home runs through the first three weeks of the season. The power numbers have tapered off in recent games but ironically Johnson's average has only climbed as he has become a singles and doubles machine out of the three-spot in the lineup.
Over the weekend, Johnson led the Gaels with nine hits and a .529 batting average over his four games in Phoenix. Johnson had a game-tying double in game three against Rice where Saint Mary's went on to erase a six-run deficit and beat the Owls 11-8. Johnson currently leads the conference in batting average (.439), hits (36), slugging (.817), OPS (1.306), runs scored (22), RBI (32) and home runs (8).
Gaels Erase 6-Run Deficit for 11-8 Win over Rice…
Saint Mary's had outhit its opponents 29-19 through the first two games in Phoenix but found themselves winless with a pair of one-run defeats. Their luck would turn though in the morning game of Sunday's doubleheader as the Gaels recorded a season high 19 hits and erased a six-run deficit to defeat Rice 11-8.
The Gaels posted six in the sixth and another five in the eighth to score all eleven runs over their final three at-bats. True freshman Dario Freschi belted his first career home run in the sixth inning that cut the deficit to one before an RBI double from Tanner Griffith would tie the game at six. Two innings later, the Gaels got RBI doubles from Jacob Johnson and Diego Castellanos followed by a go-ahead RBI triple from Makoa Sniffen to give Saint Mary's the lead for good at 9-8.
Saint Mary's and Rice had only met once prior to the weekend with the Owls defeating the Gaels 10-6 back in 2003. The win on Sunday would mark the first win in program history for the Gaels.
Luis Martin Romero Records First Win in Homecoming…
There are familiar names all over the Gaels pitching staff but several newcomers have gotten off to good starts on the mound including junior transfer Luis Martin Romero. Romero made two appearances last week and recorded his first win as a Gael in their 11-8 victory over Rice on Sunday. Romero came in to close the top of the eighth and recorded a strikeout, allowing Saint Mary's to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning to seal the win.
The Arizona native had a great turnout of friends and family at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark as he finished his weekend with a 3.38 ERA allowing just one run off two hits with four strikeouts. Romero has been a specialty arm out of the pen for the Gaels this season, showcasing a unique arm slot and quirky windup that keeps hitters off balance throughout his outing. For the season, Romero has a 2.45 ERA and is tied for the second most appearances with six this season. Opposing batters are hitting just .216 off Romero and he also has eleven strikeouts to add to his resume.
One of the Best Offenses in the West, NCAA Rankings…
Offense has been a calling card for the Gaels over the last several seasons and after leading the WCC in 2025, they are back at it again here in 2026. The Gaels rank tied for fifth in team batting average at .345 and fourth in total hits with 246 out of all of Division I. Notable teams rounding out the top-five in hits include Texas Tech (242), Louisville (250) and ACC member Georgia Tech who leads the nation with 280 hits. Other NCAA rankings include 12th in doubles, 10th in sacrifice bunts and 20th in slugging percentage.
Seven of their nine everyday starters are hitting above .300 through the first 20 games of the season including .400+ averages from Jacob Johnson and Diego Castellanos. Saint Mary's has finished top-two in team batting average each of the last two seasons in the WCC and will certainly be seen as one of the best offenses on the west coast here in 2026.
Series History…
It's been all Gaels over the last two seasons as Saint Mary's is riding a seven-game win streak over the Waves dating back to 2024. Pepperdine was a west coast baseball powerhouse back in the early 2000's but have not won back-to-back games over the Gaels since the 2021 season. Valenzuela will look for his eighth consecutive win over his alma mater on Friday as Saint Mary's has won 11 of its last 14 meetings with the Waves dating back to 2021.
ABOUT THE WAVES (4-15, 0-0 WCC)
The Pepperdine Waves will enter the first week of conference play with the second worst record at 4-16 overall. The Waves have scheduled notable opponents like USC who started the 2026 season 19-0, mid-major powerhouse UC Santa Barbara, Big Ten member Michigan and most recently the unanimous number one ranked team in the nation in UCLA. The Waves did pull off a win in that three-game series with the Wolverines and fell Tuesday night of this week to the Bruins in a competitive game 5-4.
Pepperdine was picked to finish ninth out of the ten WCC member schools in the 2026 Preseason Poll. The Waves own a .230 team batting average this season and are led by true freshman James Dell'Amico who is hitting .327 through 16 games. Shortly behind Dell'Amico are a pair of DII Westmont transfers in Trey Dunn and Daniel Patterson. Both were four-year players at Westmont in the PacWest conference as second-year head coach Tyler LaToree was hired from Westmont in 2024 and brought over the duo here in 2026. Dunn is hitting .286 with a pair of homers while Patterson is hitting .282 with a team high four home runs.
Stream the weekend series on ESPN+ and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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