‘89 Wave Recruits Are Class of ’92 : College Series: Pepperdine wins first national championship in baseball with a 3-2 victory over Fullerton.

OMAHA —  During a 1989 recruiting odyssey that covered several thousand freeway miles, Andy Lopez crisscrossed California trying to convince prospects that Pepperdine could win its first national championship if they signed on with the Waves.

Shortstop Eric Ekdahl and second baseman Steve Rodriguez were among 10 freshmen who enrolled at Malibu after listening to Lopez’s sales pitch that was hard to believe but even more difficult to ignore.

On Saturday, in the first College World Series championship game between two teams from California, Ekdahl and Rodriguez were among the Waves who enjoyed moments in the sun.

Ekdahl hit his first home run of the season in the fifth inning and Rodriguez made a diving stop on a ground ball in the eighth to preserve Pepperdine’s 3-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton before 17,962 at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Pepperdine, eliminated by Fullerton in its only other World Series appearance in 1979, became the first team from California to win the national championship since Stanford in 1988.

“Coach Lopez convinced us that our recruiting class was going to do something special,” Ekdahl said. “He didn’t lie.”

Pepperdine (48-11-1), seeded seventh in the eight-team World Series, won 20 of its last 21 games. The Waves swept through Wichita State, Texas and two-time national champion Fullerton (46-17) en route to the championship.

“Throughout the week, I thought we were looked upon as, ‘Well, they had a great season, but. . . A nice year, but . . . ,” Lopez said. “When we came in as a seventh seed, I’ll say it now, our guys took that as a slap in the face.”

Senior right-hander Patrick Ahearne, junior right-hander Derek Wallace and junior right-hander Steve Montgomery limited Fullerton to four hits as Pepperdine concluded the World Series with a 1.00 earned-run average.

Ahearne (15-2), who shut out Wichita State in the Waves’ series opener, gave up one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings. Wallace, who pitched six shutout innings against Texas, struck out the only Titan batter he faced. Montgomery gave up a run but got his ninth save.

Pepperdine scored twice in the first inning against Fullerton right-hander Dan Naulty (13-4) on a run-scoring double by David Main and a single by Mark Wasikowski. Wasikowski was involved in a spectacular inning-ending home plate collision with Fullerton catcher Jason Moler after a single by Scott Vollmer.

Fullerton got a run in the fourth when Chris Powell walked, moved to third on a single by Phil Nevin and scored on a passed ball.

Ekdahl gave the Waves a 3-1 lead with his one-out homer to left in the fifth against Paco Chavez, who replaced Naulty after the first.

Fullerton put runners at first and third with two out in the seventh, but lost an opportunity when Wallace replaced Ahearne and struck out Bret Hemphill.

That set the stage for Rodriguez’s heroics in the eighth.

Montgomery, one of seven Pepperdine players selected in the major league draft, hit Nate Rodriquez and Jeremy Carr with pitches to start the inning. Powell advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt and Montgomery intentionally walked Nevin to load the bases.

“I made a decision at 7:30 this morning that (Nevin) would not beat us,” Lopez said. Nevin was named outstanding player of the series after going 10 for 19 with two homers and 11 RBIs.

Moler pulled the Titans to within 3-2 with a sacrifice fly that scored Rodriquez and moved Carr to third.

Tony Banks hit a hard ground ball to the hole between first and second. Rodriguez dove to his left, snagged the ball and threw Banks out at first to end the inning.

“I just dove and felt it go into my glove,” said Rodriguez, a fifth-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox. “I never had a better feeling after catching a ball.”

Rodriguez’s play typified Pepperdine’s defense throughout the game. Wasikowski made several tough plays at third and Ekdahl did the same at short.

“They made those plays all day long from every position in the infield,” said Augie Garrido, Fullerton coach.

Lopez said his happiness over winning the championship is tempered by the thought of losing so many players next season.

Pepperdine first baseman Dan Melendez, a junior who batted .385 in the series, said the Waves have shared a lot of memories while accomplishing their goal.

“When we first arrived at Pepperdine as freshmen, we came off as kind of cocky,” Melendez said. “We said, ‘Wait until we grow up.’ ”

COMMENTARY

Pepperdine and Cal State Fullerton combined to give CBS more than it expected or deserved. C7

SECOND GUESSING

Fullerton is left to consider its tactics--and luck--after failing to capitalize on opportunities against Pepperdine. C7