Feb. 28, 2009
Game 1 Stats
Game 2 Stats
DAVIS, Calif. - Senior Grant Hirneise hit a pinch-hit walk-off single down the left field line to lift UC Davis to a 4-3 victory in the second game of a doubleheader and help the Aggies earned a split with No. 11 Pepperdine in non-conference baseball action Saturday at Dobbins Stadium. The Waves earned a 10-0 shutout victory in the first game, which went seven innings due to time constraints.
The Aggies move to 2-5 with the doubleheader split while the Waves improve to 5-2 overall. The Aggie victory in the second game snapped a five-game losing streak to Pepperdine.
Senior Ryan Scoma got the rally started in the ninth inning with a one-out pinch-hit single and gave way to pinch runner Corbin Cutshaw. Cutshaw then stole second base and took third on a passed ball. Hirneise then stepped in with two-outs and drove a pitch that just stayed fair inside the left field line to give the Aggies the victory. It marked the second game-winning RBI of the season for Hirneise.
Senior Adam Bennett, who is in his first season with the Aggie baseball team after a stellar four-year career with the water polo team, pitched the final two outs of the ninth inning to pick up his first collegiate victory. Starter Tom Briner went 5.1 innings and allowed just three runs off five hits in the no-decision.
Denny Duron led the Waves with two RBIs. Nick Gaudi gave up the run in the ninth to pick up the loss. Pepperdine totaled three doubles in the contest and had four in the first game.
Sophomore Daniel Cepin led the Aggies' offensive charge in the second game by going 2-for-2 with two RBis and a run scored. Fellow sophomore Scott Heylman drove in the game-tying run in the eight inning with a sacrifice fly to right field.
UC Davis opened the scoring in the second game with a two-run second inning. It marked the first time this season in which the Aggies scored first. Junior Jared Thompson opened the inning with an infield single and freshman Joseph Medeiros was hit by a pitch to put two on with no outs. Following a sac bunt from redshirt freshman Eric Johnson, Cepin singled up the middle to drive home Thompson and Medeiros.
Pepperdine cut the lead in half with a single run in the fourth and took the lead two innings later with two more runs. Denny Duron single in the run in the fourth and scored the game-tying run in the sixth. Simon doubled home the go-ahead run.
Cepin opened the Aggie eighth with a single and advanced to second on a balk. He then advanced to thid on a fly out and tied the game off Heylman's sac fly to right.
The Waves claimed the series victory with their shoutout victory in the day's opening game. Scott Alexander pitched a complete-game three-hitter to pick up his first win of the season. Colin Rooney led a group of four Waves with multiple RBIs as he drove in three runs and went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
UC Davis walked a total of 11 batters in the contest and managed only three hits. However, they threatened in the first with a runner on third and only one out. Alexander got the batter to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Pepperdine scored runs in five consecutive innings, including three in the fourth and fifth and two in the sixth.
The Aggies return to action next weekend as they close out their six-game homestand with games on Tuesday and Wednesday. They open the week March 3 with their first-ever meeting with Cal State Bakersfield at 2:30 p.m.
