austin smith vs. pepperdine - 3_28_25 - credit thomas christensen
6
Winner Pepperdine PEPP 6-19, 2-2 WCC
5
San Diego USD 4-21, 1-3 WCC
Winner
Pepperdine PEPP
6-19, 2-2 WCC
6
Final
5
San Diego USD
4-21, 1-3 WCC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pepperdine PEPP 0 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 6 8 0
San Diego USD 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 11 3

W: Scavone, Tommy (1-1) L: Smith, Austin (1-3) S: Troy, Adam (4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Smith and Lane Go Yard in Narrow Loss to Pepperdine

Toreros drop 6-5 decision to Waves on Friday night at Fowler Park

SAN DIEGO — Austin Smith and Isaiah Lane hammered home runs on Friday night before San Diego baseball brought the tying run to third base in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Toreros (4-21, 1-3 WCC) dropped a narrow 6-5 decision to Pepperdine (6-19, 2-2 WCC) at Fowler Park.

USD fell behind early on in the series opener and was never able to complete a full comeback after the Waves scored twice in the second, once in the third, and three times in the fourth. 

Smith (1-3) started on the mound and allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits while walking four and hitting two batters. He was able to help his own cause in the bottom of the second, when he sent a solo home run off the Manchester Village dormitories beyond Fowler Park's right-field fence.

Andrew Mosiello took over for Smith in the top of the sixth and fired four scoreless frames to end the game, allowing just three hits, walking none, and striking out five.

Lane headlined San Diego's four-run rally in the bottom of the fourth by sending a two-run homer to deep left-center field. Connor Meidroth followed with an RBI single, then AJ Anzai, who had reached on a walk, dashed home on a wild pitch. By the end of the inning the Toreros trailed by a one-run, 6-5 margin.

Aden Howard led off the bottom of the ninth with a sharp single through the right side, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rex Watson, and reached third after Jack Gurevitch grounded out to second base. He was stranded after Lane struck out swinging to end the game.

NOTABLE
  • Smith extended his hit streak to 16 games, a span that dates back to March 1. 
  • He is 24-for-67 (.358) during this hit streak with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 16 RBIs.
  • Current records indicate that it's the longest hit streak by a San Diego player since 2018, when Hunter Mercado-Hood hit safely in 18 consecutive contests. Research on historical Torero hit streaks prior to 2021 is ongoing.
  • Smith's six strikeouts while pitching on Friday were the most of any player on either team.
  • Four Toreros (Gurevitch, Lane, Smith, and Jayden Lobliner) had two hits.
  • Anzai drew USD's only walk.
  • San Diego's last two conference contests (Friday versus Pepperdine and March 23 at Loyola Marymount) have ended via a swinging strikeout with the game's tying run at third base.
UP NEXT
The Toreros will continue their series with Pepperdine tomorrow evening. First pitch against the Waves at Fowler Park is set for 5:05 p.m.
 
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