Pepperdine Enjoys an Eye-Opener

MALIBU —  Dan Haren had a breathtaking view.

And it had nothing to do with the Pacific Ocean backdrop at Pepperdine.

Haren was on deck when Jared Pitney hit a two-run home run that extended the Waves’ one-run lead and keyed a 5-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton in a nonconference opener Tuesday.

Haren leaped in the air as the ball cleared the fence and was the first to congratulate Pitney.

Usually, a pitcher watches a teammate’s home run from the privacy of the dugout, his arm protected by a jacket. But Haren harked back to his Little League days, pitching a gem and batting cleanup.

With at least 50 scouts in attendance, the 6-foot-4 junior allowed one run in six innings and drove in three runs on two singles and a groundout.

“Pitney’s home run was great insurance, it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders,” Haren said.

“I’ve been looking forward to this game so much. It’s great to get the season going.”

Pepperdine, ranked No. 18 by Baseball America, stumbled out of the gate last season with a 1-5 record. That won’t happen again if the pitching remains as strong as it was against the No. 15 Titans.

Jay Adams, the Waves’ No. 2 starter, followed Haren and gave up only a run in the ninth over three innings. Adams struck out the side in the seventh and Haren struck out six. Each pitcher allowed three hits.

“The plan going in was to pitch who we had to in order to win,” Coach Frank Sanchez said.

Haren, Adams and left-hander Noah Lowry are the three weekend starters, but because Haren and Adams were used against Fullerton, Lowry will start Friday in the opener of a three-game series against Nevada.

The pitchers were supported by flawless defense and enough offense to stay comfortable. The Waves capitalized on errors in the first and third innings by shortstop Mike Martinez.

Danny Garcia reached base on an error in the first, advanced to second on a single by Pitney and scored on Haren’s bouncer up the middle.

Woody Cliffords led off the third with a single, stole second, took third on another error by Martinez and scored on Haren’s groundout.

Fullerton touched Haren only for a home run by Brett Kay in the second. He was in such command that when Pitney hit his opposite-field homer in the fifth for a 4-1 lead, the Waves felt comfortable.

But Haren wasn’t finished with his bat. In the seventh, he singled to score Garcia, who doubled.

Haren batted .288 in 52 at-bats as a freshman, but had only three at-bats last season while establishing himself as the pitching ace with an 8-5 record and 3.08 earned-run average.

In 1999, he and Adams combined for 21 victories and Pepperdine posted its best record in four years under Sanchez, 46-16.

“Haren and Adams are excellent pitchers,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said.

In Haren’s case, he could add excellent hitter.