April 15, 2005

Box Score

(San Diego, CA) - San Diego convincingly won the opener of a three-game weekend series with No. 29 Pepperdine 12-2 at USD's Cunningham Stadium. The Toreros (23-17-1; 9-7 WCC) totaled 52 hits in three games last weekend against Santa Clara, continuing that trend Friday by knocking around Pepperdine ace Kea Kometani to the tune of nine hits and eight runs (six earned) through six innings. Pepperdine (23-11; 10-2 WCC) scored twice in the first inning, but went scoreless the rest of the way thanks to another strong pitching performance from USD's Josh Butler. The Toreros have won four straight.

USD starting pitcher, right-hander Josh Butler (7-4) won his fourth straight start. Butler, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Danville, California, allowed two runs on a pair of hits in the first inning, before setting down to pitch effectively through seven. Senior reliever Sean Warlop came on to work two innings of one-hit baseball to close it out.

San Diego scored 12 unanswered runs in support of Butler, initiating the onslaught with a four-run third. Sophomore outfielder Shane Buschini went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs. Freshman third baseman Kevin Hansen totaled three hits and senior first baseman Randy Curtis (2-for-4) hit his 12th double.

All-America catcher Jordan Abruzzo (2-for-4) drove in two runs and freshman centerfielder Justin Snyder extended his hitting streak to five games by going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Pepperdine managed just five hits on the afternoon. Donald Brown (1-for-4) knocked in two runs on a first-inning double to give the Waves the early lead. Steve Kleen (2-for-2) hit his 10th double and Justin Sandberg added a pinch-hit single off Warlop in the ninth.

San Diego pulls within a half game of idle Gonzaga in the WCC Coast Division standings with the victory. San Diego and Pepperdine continue the weekend set with Game Two Saturday at 1pm.