University Southern California Trojans
USC
Pepperdine
Baseball Wins Season Opener
January 29, 2000 | Baseball
Jan. 29, 2000
MALIBU, Calif. - Sophomore Mark Prior limited Pepperdine to five hits and one run over seven innings and freshman second baseman Anthony Lunnetta went five-for-five in his collegiate debut to lead No. 11 ranked USC to a 7-3 victory over the Waves Saturday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.
Prior struck out five and walked just two batters as he made his USC debut after transferring from Vanderbilt. Lunnetta had four singles, a home run and two RBI in his first game for the Trojans.
Lunnetta broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a two-out home run off Pepperdine starter Daniel Haren (0-1). The Trojans went on to score three more unearned runs in the inning after an error by Waves shortstop Tony Garcia extended the inning.
Prior held Pepperdine scoreless until the seventh inning when junior first baseman Jared Pitney plated Duke Sardinha on a sacrifice fly. The Waves had mounted scoring threats in three of the first four innings but Prior was able to make the big pitch when he needed to, inducing Pepperdine to hit into three double plays.
USC added two runs in the top of the eighth and Pepperdine answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by Sardinha off Trojans reliever Pete Montrenes that cut the Waves' deficit to 6-3.
The Trojans pounded out 15 hits and used four pitchers to limit the Waves to just seven singles in the ballgame.
Pepperdine and USC close out their two-game weekend series on Sunday when the two teams battle at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles beginning at noon.
