PORTLAND, Ore.- The University of Portland baseball team challenged the Pepperdine Waves but lost by a 10-4 margin in game one of a West Coast Conference doubleheader at Pilot Stadium Saturday. The late game was forgettable for Portland as the Waves erupted for five home runs and cruised to a 24-8 win. Pepperdine improves to 10-14 overall, 4-1 in West Coast Conference play, while the Pilots drop to 3-20 overall, 0-5 in the WCC after their ninth consecutive loss.

In game one, Portland held a 3-2 lead after six innings and trailed by just one run entering the final frame, but surrendered five runs after giving the Waves a critical extra out. Pilot freshman right-hander Given Kutz was brought on in relief with one out and runners on first and second in the ninth inning. Kutz had David Uribes picked off of second base and a rundown ensued. Uribes took off for third and safely slid in ahead of the attempted tag by Kutz who opted not to toss the ball to teammate Travis Vetters. Kutz then intentionally walked Patrick Rooney to load the bases and induced an infield fly by Brent Lewis for the second out of the inning. Pepperdine took advantage of the mistake by banging out three consecutive hits to bring home five runs and take a 10-4 lead.

Pilot sophomore Rhett Parker was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in the early outing. Trevor Hahn and Nik Kosach both went 2-for-4 with RBI’s as well for the Pilots. Steve Kleen had two hits including a double, two runs and also drove in a pair for Pepperdine. Brent Lewis hit a deep blast to center field leading off the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie for the Waves.

Jacob Barrack (4-2) earned the win after pitching seven innings and allowing just six hits, three runs, one earned, and striking out six Pilots. Matthew Peters (1-4) tossed eight innings for Portland, giving up seven hits and five runs while ringing up five Waves. Pepperdine held a 10-9 advantage in hits and both teams committed two errors.

In the late game, Portland led 2-1 after Jeffrey Crinklaw’s RBI-single and a sacrifice fly by Rhett Parker in the first inning. Pepperdine took control with a nine-run third inning, chasing Pilot starter Trent Kristjanson from the game with 10 hits and nine runs in 2.1 innings. The Waves had 10 consecutive batters reach base at one point in the inning as Kleen and Chad Tracy each belted home runs.

Pepperdine put the game on ice with an encore in the sixth, again posting a nine-run inning. Lewis went yard with a three-run blast to right field doing most of the damage. The Waves tacked on four more in the seventh as Mike Craig and Tracy hit back-to-back bombs.

Portland scored three in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by Adam Kerr’s two-run single up the middle, but Pepperdine finished with season-highs of 31 hits and 24 runs in the game.

Lewis was a perfect 5-for-5 in the contest with three runs and five RBI for Pepperdine. Tracy, Craig and Uribes each had four hits and were among seven Wave players with multiple RBI.

Travis Vetters scored four runs for Portland, but saw his eight-game hit streak come to an end after an 0-for-3 performance. Parker was 2-for-2 and drove in four runs, while Kerr had three RBI off the Pilot bench.

Kea Kometani (2-4) was the winning pitcher with five strikeouts in six innings of work. Kristjanson fell to 0-4 on the season with the loss as Portland was forced to use six different pitchers for the game.

The teams will conclude the three-game West Coast Conference series tomorrow at Pilot Stadium at 1:00 p.m.