The young talent on full display Saturday afternoon, the Diamond Dogs (2-3) used a pair of four run innings to defeat Pepperdine 10-6.
Key players
Tyler Patrick: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 6 K, 85 P (57 S)
Griffen Sotomayor: 1-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
Sky Collins: 2-for-4, 2 BB, SB
Michael Boyd: 1-for-2, R, 2 RBI, SB
What happened
Freshman shortstop Brady Hewitt led off the bottom of the first with a single just over the head of Waves second baseman Kai Laxa. Two batters later Owen Faust reached first via an eight pitch walk but both runners were left stranded.
Julian Nunez led off the second with a double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a single two batters later before scoring on a fielding error by Hewitt. Laxa followed with a liner to shallow center bringing in another Waves run to make it 2-0. Pepperdine loaded the bases before Tyler Patrick struck out Zach Woodson to end the rally.
The ‘Dogs got a pair of runners on to leadoff the third courtesy of Hewitt (single) and Jett Ruby (walk). Collin Valentine quickly got out of it though, getting Faust to fly out to left and Griffen Sotomayor to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
Patrick worked around a hit-by-pitch and a single to leadoff the fifth thanks to a crafty double play turned by Hewitt to end the frame. Pepperdine put some pressure on Patrick again in the sixth. With two one and two out, Daniel Patterson laced a double into the left-center gap, scoring Max Aude to make it 3-0. Patrick was relieved by junior transfer Will Page-Allen who got Finley Buckner to lineout to Bulldog third baseman Mikey Pickett.
Jake Guardiancic relieved Valentine (5 IP, 0 R, 3 BB, K) in the sixth inning. After getting Faust to foul out, Guardiancic loaded the bases with walks to Sotomayor and Sky Collins and hitting Marcus Nolen. Guardiancic got Austin Young to pop up before Pepperdine Head Coach Tyler LaTorre called on reliever Matt Queen.
Overland countered by pinch-hitting with Mikey Boyd who lofted a single over the shortstop, scoring a pair. Boyd then stole second and scored on a two-run single from Mikey Pickett (stole second) for a four-run sixth to take the lead.
Page-Allen walked Woodson to begin the seventh before going to Moose Cuellar. After giving up an infield single to Trey Dunn, struck Nunez out swinging and got James Dell’Amico to pop up. Cuellar got Danny Cook to strike out to leave two Waves stranded.
Ruby and Faust led off the bottom of the frame with walks before Sotomayor mashed one the opposite way, clearing the right-center wall for his first home run of 2026. The Bulldogs added one more in the inning thanks to a Pepperdine error to make it 8-3.
After a leadoff walk, Laxa doubled in a run to begin the eighth inning, ending Cuellar’s day. Woodson then belted a two-run homer off of Doug Crystal over the right field wall. Crystal struck Dunn out to end the eighth. Fresno State added two more runs in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead to 10-6.
Injury report
3B/LF Cam Schneider – day-to-day
RHP Jake Riding (arm) – no timetable
1B Cayden Munster (hand) – no timetable
SS Lee Trevino (ACL) – out for season
What’s next
Game 3 of the series resumes Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. with redshirt senior Victor Arreola on the bump. Arreola was nearly untouchable in his first start, allowing just one run on three walks (zero hits) over four innings.
Pepperdine will counter with right-hander Dylan Stewart. The 6’5” senior allowed two runs on one hit and five walks/HBP over three innings against USC his last time out. Stewart is 3-8 (43 GP) with a 5.94 ERA for his career.
Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Nate Velasco.