Waves Baseball Earns Multiple Wins and Honors

Pepperdine baseball soared to its best finish in 22 years, earning a number 12 national ranking for the 2014 season after many triumphs.

The Waves finished with a 43-18 record, winning more games than any other season since 1999, and the seventh most in Pepperdine baseball’s 75-year history.

The team won the regular season West Coast Conference Championship and then took home the conference tournament title in Stockton, California. The Waves earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional in San Luis Obispo, California, and after going 3-0 there, the team earned a spot in the NCAA Super Regional in Fort Worth, Texas, against Texas Christian University. It was the first time the Waves advanced to the Super Regional since the round was instituted in 1999.

After taking an early lead, Pepperdine lost 6-5 to Texas Christian University in the third and final game of the series. Overall the Waves exceeded expectations and their accomplishments are especially remarkable given that there were 18 first-years on the team.

“The team chemistry was very special,” says head coach Steve Rodriguez. “We had some impressive young men who are excellent athletes who did some great things and I know all of them really enjoyed the success the team had.”

Additionally, the pitching staff had one of the most impressive seasons in Pepperdine history, completing the year with a 2.55 earned run average, which was 10th in the nation and the lowest since 1975.

Ten Pepperdine players earned All-WCC honors, including Pitcher of the Year for Aaron Brown and Coach of the Year for Rodriguez. Seven players picked up postseason honors and five Waves were selected in the MLB draft. Brown earned All-American honors and Aaron Barnett was named a Freshman All-American.

“It was so important to our program, our athletics department, and our university to have a run like we had this year,” Rodriguez says. “It was amazing.”

Watch the baseball post-season recap.