PORTLAND, Ore. --- Cody Hawken and Dutton Elske both homered for Portland, but an early deficit was too much to overcome as the Pepperdine Waves prevailed 12-7 over the Pilots in a West Coast Conference baseball game played on Saturday night at Joe Etzel Field. The Waves jumped out to a sizable lead before the Pilots tried to rally late. 

Already down 12-0, the Pilots (23-25, 5-18 WCC) got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning, four more in the eighth, and two in the ninth. Tracye Tammaro was responsible for Portland's run in the sixth when his single to right field scored Matt Kelly. From there the Pilots still had the bases loaded with no outs, but the Waves escaped the jam with three straight K's. 

In the eighth, Daniel Lopez led off with an infield single before Hawken left the yard with a towering shot to left field. It's Hawken's fifth homer of the year. A few batters later, Elske followed a Blake Porter double by absolutely crushing a line drive over the left field fence. It's also the fifth home run by Elske, and it pulled the Pilots within seven. 

In the ninth, Lopez and Hawken hit consecutive doubles to score one of Portland's runs, and Hawken trotted home on a wild pitch moments later. But Pepperdine (23-21, 13-10 WCC) reliever Trevor Franklin was able to register the final outs from there as the Waves made it two straight W's over the Pilots. 
Quincy McAffee and Matt Kanfer both homered for the Waves, who scored seven runs in the top of the fifth to take control of the game. Pepperdine also tallied the night's first run in the top of the first before adding three more in the third for a 4-0 cushion.
 
Wyatt Young led the Waves with four hits, while starter Easton Lucas (5-4) earns the win on the mound. Lucas went 6.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out six and walked one.
 
Portland starter Eli Morse (2-7) is saddled with the loss after going 4.0 innings. He was followed by Jacob Biesterfeld and Cameron Richman out of the pent, with Richman striking out six in 4.2 innings.
 
Lopez and Hawken collected three hits, and Hawken drove in three RBI's. 

Tomorrow is the home finale for the Pilots as they conclude their three-game series with the Waves. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field, and the Pilots will honor their eight seniors with a pre-game ceremony.