March 15, 2004

Final Stats

MALIBU, Calif. -- - Left fielder Jason Freeman's perfect strike to catcher Brandon Reddinger cut down the tying run with two out in the ninth inning and preserved Washington State's 9-8 win over host Pepperdine in the final game Monday of the Yellow Book Classic at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

The Cougars (12-5) built a 9-2 lead after three innings, then held off Pepperdine's rally to make a winner of starting pitcher Bryce Chamberlin (4-0), who worked one out into the sixth inning before giving way to Wayne Daman Jr. and then Dane Renkert. Chamberlin allowed six runs, all earned, and seven hits while striking out two. He did not issue a walk.

Daman was touched for one run in his one inning of work and Renkert threw the final two and two-thirds innings, allowing one ninth inning run before Hart cut down the tying run at home plate. Renkert earned the save, his second this season.

Starter Brandon Boesch (0-3) took the loss for Pepperdine (6-11), while James Johnson, Paul Coleman and Steve Kleen also saw mound action for the Waves. Boesch was touched for six runs in the first inning, all but one unearned. Pepperdine committed four errors in the contest.

Pepperdine battled back from deficits of 6-2 after one inning and 9-2 after three frames to trail 9-7 going into the bottom of the ninth. Their rally included two runs in the fourth, three in the sixth and one in the ninth. Kleen led Pepperdine's 12-hit attack with a two-run home run in the fourth and a run-scoring double in the sixth.

Luke Salas started off the ninth for the Waves with a single to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on Patrick Rooney's groundout to third and then came home when Kleen, the designated hitter turned hurler, ripped a double to right center.

With the tying run on second, pinch hitter Justin Sandberg then singled to shallow left field. Kleen tried to tie the game on the play, but Freeman, who moved from second to left field in the eighth inning, scooped up the hit and threw a one-bounce strike to Reddinger, who held on to the ball and tagged out the Pepperdine runner to end the game.

The win was WSU's first in the three-game tournament and snapped a short two-game losing streak. WSU entered the tournament riding a six-game win streak, but lost the opener to tournament champion Oral Roberts and then to No. 18 California-Irvine.

WSU used hits by Jeremy Farrar and Justin McClure, two Pepperdine errors, two walks and a hit batter to score six times in the first inning. Freeman's ground out, Reddinger's sacrifice fly and McClure's single all drove home runs for WSU.

After Pepperdine tallied twice in the bottom of the opening inning, WSU added three more runs in the third when Jay Miller stroked a bases loaded single to right field, sending McClure and Kaeo Rubin home for a 9-2 lead. Freeman scored the first run of the inning when he singled, moved to third on a two-base error by the Pepperdine centerfielder and scored on Reddinger's second sacrifice fly of the game.

WSU returns to action this weekend with a three-game series at home against the Washington Huskies. The non-conference games will be the first on WSU's new FieldTurf playing surface. Friday's opener begins at 1:00 p.m., with games Saturday and Sunday also set for 1:00 p.m. each day.

WSU 603 000 000 - 9 8 1
Pepperdine 200 203 001 - 8 12 4
Bryce Chamberlin, Wayne Daman Jr. (6), Dane Renkert (7) and Brandon Reddinger.
Brandon Boesch, James Johnson (2), Paul Coleman (7), Steve Kleen (8) and Chad Tracy.
W - Chamberlin (4-0). L - Boesch (0-3). Save - Renkert (3). HR - Tracy (4).
T - 3:07. A - 119.
WSU Hits - Rubin, Hart, Miller, Farrar, Freeman 2, McClure 2.
Pepperdine Hits - Salas 2, Rooney, Lewis 2, Kleen 2, Craig, Sandberg, Tracy 2, Haapanen.
E - McAngus, Salas, Rooney, Haapanen, Boesch. 2B - Lewis (4), Kleen (4), Tracy (5). 3B - None.