Pepperdine Edges Loyola Marymount in Baseball

Freshman Duke Sardinha hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning Friday to power Pepperdine to 5-4 victory over Loyola Marymount in a West Coast Conference game at Pepperdine.

Pepperdine improved its record to 22-14 overall and 11-1 in WCC play. The Waves have won 10 consecutive conference games.

Loyola, which had won five of six games between the schools in 1998 and 1999, is 21-13 and 9-4 in the WCC.

“This was a huge game for us because they’ve kind of had that mental edge over us the last few years,” said Sardinha, who also had a run-scoring single in the first inning. “We feel we have to win this series and winning today takes a little bit of the pressure off tomorrow. But it’s not over yet.”

Sardinha’s hits came off Loyola left-hander Billy Traber (4-3), who gave up three earned runs and nine hits in pitching his third complete game.

Pepperdine sophomore Daniel Haren (5-3) gave up nine hits and earned the victory.