MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine didn't make it easy for the USF bullpen as the Waves clubbed a home run and put runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth before Joey Carney came on to shut the door by striking out Ben Rodriguez, securing a 3-1 Dons victory on Sunday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
 
With a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, Mack Meyer started the inning but gave up a leadoff home run to Matthew Kanfer. Meyer was replaced by lefty Frank Waliczek, who proceeded to get two outs while also allowing two base hits, before Carney came on to get the final out and earn his first-career save. 
 
"We needed to get a hold today," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "Any time you want to stay in the conference race, you can't get swept, so today was a big day for us. Our guys battled. We didn't really swing the bats very well, but we had some big defensive takeaways. I thought defense was the difference that helped James [Kannenberg] get into the eighth."
 
USF starter James Kannenberg (3-2) tossed a season-high eight scoreless innings in the victory, scattering four hits while striking out three.  
 
"My slider wasn't there early," said Kannenberg, who has won three of his last four outings. "They were getting some pretty solid contact off me in the early innings, but once I found it I kept them off balance. But really, I have to give the credit to the defense - they made a lot of good plays.
 
"I definitely wanted to get back out there [in the ninth], but we turned it over to the bullpen and let them do their thing and we got out of there with a win and that's really all that matters."
 
Ross Puskarich (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) provided the majority of the offensive production for USF (9-21, 4-5 WCC), while Nico Giarratano (1-for-3, R, RBI) added a run-scoring base hit in the eighth.
 
Both team's got out to slow starts at the plate in the series finale as Blake Valley tallied USF's first hit and first baserunner when he beat out an infield hit in the hole between shortstop and third to lead off the fourth.  
 
Puskarich finally broke a scoreless stalemate in the top of the fourth when he battled through an eight-pitch at bat to rip a two-out, two-strike double into the left center gap to plate Beau Bozett and Nico Giarratano, giving the Dons a 2-0 lead.
 
Kannenberg kept Pepperdine (13-13, 4-5 WCC) in check from the beginning, only allowing the Waves to get runners in scoring position in the second and fifth innings, while getting clutch defensive plays to strand the runners on both occasions.
 
Kannenberg only allowed two baserunners after the second inning.
 
Giarratano helped add an insurance run for the Dons in the top of the eighth when he slapped a two-out RBI single into left field that allowed Matt Sinatro to score as he slid around the tag by Pepperdine catcher Aaron Barnett, giving USF a 3-0 lead.
 
Pepperdine starter Easton Lucas (2-4) went 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out four in the loss.
 
Kanfer (2-for-4, HR) and Brandon Caruso (1-for-4, 2B) led the Waves at the plate.
 
WEB GEMS: With a runner at second and two outs in the bottom of the first, 2B Allen Smoot made a sliding stop in shallow right field ranging to his left on a ground ball in the hole, came up and threw out Brad Anderson to get out of the inning, preventing a run-scoring base hit… SS Nico Giarratano made a run-saving play with a runner on second and one out in the bottom of the second when he made a sliding in-between hop backhand and threw out the runner trying to advance from second to third… 3B Dan James and 1B Manny Ramirez, Jr. teamed for a nice defensive combo with two outs in the bottom of the fourth when James made a backhanded stab on a ball hit firmly down the third base line and Ramirez picked him up with a nice in-between-hop pick at first for the out.      
 
NOTES: RHP James Kannenberg tallied his third quality start in five starts this season; it was also the second quality start of the weekend for the Dons after Anthony Shew's on Friday… Kannenberg's 8.0 innings is the longest outing for a Don this year... Kannenberg also matched Shew (at Cal Poly, Mar. 4) in allowing the fewest hits in a start this season (4)… 2B Allen Smoot had his nine-game hitting streak snapped.  
 
UP NEXT: The Dons travel to UC Davis for a nonconference matchup on Tuesday with the Aggies. First pitch will be at 2:30 p.m. from Dobbins Stadium. This will be their second meeting this season, as USF defeated UC Davis 2-1 in Davis back on March 1.