Pepperdine moves to 17-15 overall with the win and 7-6 in West Coast Conference play. LMU falls to 16-18 overall, 7-6 WCC. Puckett has not allowed an earned run in his last six starts for the Waves, setting a Pepperdine record in the process.
"A.J. did what he's been doing for the last few weeks and that's putting up zeroes and giving us a
chance to win," said Pepperdine Head Coach Rick Hirtensteiner. "It's big for us to come out and get the first win of a series against a team that's ahead of us in the standings."
The Waves jumped all over LMU starter J.D. Busfield in the first inning, capitalizing on a Lion error on the leadoff batter to score five runs. Aaron Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) provided the big hit, sending a three-run shot over the right field fence to open the scoring. Chase Lambert (Malibu, Calif./Malibu HS) notched an RBI groundout with the bases loaded and Matt Gelalich (La Verne, Calif./Bonita HS) hit a two-out RBI single to center. The Waves sent 10 batters to the plate in the first.
LMU threatened in the bottom of the third, getting a runner to third with one out. Puckett (Danville, Calif./De La Salle HS) struck out the next batter, and then after a walk, got a groundout to end the inning and keep the Lions off the board. He followed that by stranding runners on first and second in the fourth inning. The Waves' ace stranded seven Lion runners on the day.
Manny Jefferson (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) added to the Pepperdine lead in the fourth inning, hitting a two-out double off the wall in left to bring home the sixth run of the game. The Waves would chase Busfield in the fourth and force LMU to its bullpen early.
Puckett would work 7.0 scoreless innings in the game, exiting after the seventh inning when he picked a runner off on first. The outing extended his streak of consecutive innings without giving up an earned run to 45.2, a Pepperdine record since game-by-game records began being recorded. The Waves' righty has only allowed two unearned runs since March 4th at Tulane. Puckett gave up just four hits and struck out six batters to move to 6-2 on the year.
"At the beginning of the year I think I was trying to do too much," said Puckett, who now owns a 1.16 ERA. "Since then I've tried to just settle down, work the bottom of the zone and not overthink it. The offense coming out today and getting those runs early was huge, too. That gives you a lot of confidence, knowing they're swinging the bats that way."
Codie Paiva came in for LMU in the fourth inning and worked the final 5.1 innings without giving up a run. The Waves would manage two hits off the righty.
Barnett finished the day 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored after his third homer of the year. Jefferson and Matthew Kanfer (Playa Del Rey, Calif./L.A.C.E.S.) each had two-hit days as well.
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