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Box Score 2 SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Prior to the regularly scheduled midweek matchup between UC Santa Barbara and Pepperdine, the two teams completed an unfinished 3-3 tie that was called for darkness after the 10th inning back on Mar. 27. After waiting more than a month to reconvene the game, it took merely 15 minutes before the Waves hit a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 11th. Riding the momentum from the win, Pepperdine made it a two-win trip with a 3-1 victory over the Gauchos on Tuesday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
In the top of the 11th of the continuation game, UCSB's Andrew Martinez managed a two-out walk but the Gauchos came up empty. The Waves' Quincy McAfee led off the bottom half of the inning with a single before Jordan Qsar launched a homerun to right center to give Pepperdine a rare "road" walk-off.
In the regularly scheduled contest, freshman southpaw Joshua Candau received his first career collegiate start and did not disappoint. The Acalanes HS product and Walnut Creek, Calif. native took a no-hitter into the fifth and finished with four strikeouts and no walks in 4.1 innings. The Waves managed back-to-back hits to break up the no-no while scoring the first run of the game to take a 1-0 lead in the inning.
UCSB responded quickly as freshman Jason Willow hit a laser off the scoreboard in left for the first homerun of his career.
Pepperdine kept up the offensive attack in the sixth with back-to-back singles to start the inning before a wild pitch allowed the go-ahead run to score. After a walk put runners on the corners, the Waves made it 3-1 after a throwing error from UCSB.
The Gauchos loaded the bases in both the sixth and eighth innings but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity and stranded eight runners total throughout the game.
Tevin Mitchell led UCSB at the plate with a 2-for-4 day while Clay Fisher, Tommy Jew, McClain O'Connor and Willow rounded out the offense with a hit apiece.
After Candau's strong outing, Luke Andrews was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in 0.2 innings. Ben Brecht was very effective in relief, tossing the final four innings and allowing just one hit while striking out six.
Pepperdine's Jeremy Farraye (3-3) picked up the win after going three innings and allowing one run on two hits.
UCSB (22-22-1, 7-8) returns to Big West play this weekend with a pivotal series at Long Beach State (21-26, 7-8) beginning on Friday, May 11 at 6:00 p.m.
