PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Pepperdine Waves jumped out to an early lead before holding off the Portland Pilots to prevail 14-8 in a West Coast Conference baseball game played on Saturday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Freshman Dutton Elske was one of five Pilots to collect two hits, which included his first career home run.
 
Elske's long fly came in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Pilots (6-24-1, 2-9 WCC) tried to mount a late comeback. He led off the frame with a solo shot to left field. Ryan Kim, Matt Kelly and Beau Brundage followed with singles to score another run, and Ryan Hoogerwerf drew a bases loaded walk to add another tally.
 
The Waves used three pitchers during the inning, and Mike Hicks continued the rally with an RBI single to bring in the fourth run of the frame and cut the deficit to six. But then with the Pilots still threatening with the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Mike Mahony recorded the final out with a three-pitch strike out.
 
Pepperdine (16-14, 5-3 WCC) scored four runs in the top of the first inning to chase Portland starter Corbin Powers (0-3), and the Waves added five more in the second to take control of the game.
 
The Pilots tried to climb back into it by batting around in the fifth to score four runs. Cody Hawken drove in two during the frame with a single to left field.
 
The Waves then scored a run during both the seventh and eighth innings, before adding three more in the top of the ninth.
 
Starter Jonathan Pendergast lasted 6.0 innings to earn the win. He scattered seven hits, allowed four runs, K'd six and walked three.
 
Relievers Christian Peters and Cameron Richman followed Powers on the mound for Portland.
 
The Pilots finished with 13 hits total, and Kevin Wade, Hicks, Kim and Justin Brown joined Elske with two hits each.
 
The series finale is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, and the game will be shown live on Comcast SportsNet Northwest.