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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland’s Nick Armenta hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, but Pepperdine responded with six unanswered runs as the Waves claimed a 6-1 win over the Pilots in the first game of a three-game West Coast Conference series played on a wet Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The game featured two lengthy rain delays.
 
After Portland (18-33, 8-14 WCC) starter Billy Sahlinger had retired the Waves in order in the top of the first, Armenta led off the bottom of the frame with a blast over the left field wall. His first long fly of the season gave the Pilots an early 1-0 lead.
 
And for a while it looked as if the one run was all Sahlinger would need as he cruised through the first three innings. But after the game’s first rain delay, the Waves were able to register their first hits and runs of the ballgame in the top of the fourth. Drew Hacker and James Grandpre hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the frame as Pepperdine surged ahead 3-1.
 
The Waves (25-24, 11-11 WCC) added two more runs in the fifth inning to claim a comfortable lead. This time the runs came on home run by Sam Meyer. Pepperdine’s sixth and final run was scored in the top of the eighth, courtesy a solo home run by Aaron Brown.
 
Pepperdine starter Scott Frazier overcame eight hits by the Pilots to even his record at 5-5 on the year. Frazier fanned nine and walked two. Reliever Jackson McClelland worked a scoreless ninth.
 
Sahlinger (3-4), a freshman right-hander, takes the loss, allowing the five runs on four hits. Chad Kjemhus was effective out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit in 4.2 innings. He struck out two and didn’t walk any.
 
Portland finished with a 9-5 edge in hits.
 
Game two of the series is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, while Sunday’s starting time was moved up to 12 p.m.