MALIBU, Calif.- Taking a week off from conference play, the Pepperdine baseball team welcomes the Northwestern State Demons to Malibu in a three-game weekend series.
 
GAME #45— Pepperdine (11-33, 6-12) vs. Northwestern State (28-18, 17-10) | 3:00 p.m. | Friday, May 2 | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.
 
GAME #46— Pepperdine vs. Northwestern State | 3:00 p.m. | Saturday, May 3 | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.
 
GAME #47— Pepperdine vs. Northwestern State | 12:00 p.m. | Sunday, May 4 | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.
 
COVERAGE: The games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). Links to the broadcasts as well as live stats will be available at pepperdinewaves.com.
 
SERIES VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE: Pepperdine has never played Northwestern State. The last time the Waves faced a Southland Conference opponent was three years ago in the 2022 Kleberg Bank Classic against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
SCOUTING THE DEMONS: Sitting at 28-18 overall, Northwestern State's most notable win was just over a week ago in a midweek 13-3 mercy rule over #4 LSU. With three players hitting above .300, the Demons are led offensively by Rocco Gump, Reese Lipoma, and Braden Benton. The trio has a combined 46 extra-base hits and 102 RBIs. 
 
LAST TIME OUT: Without a midweek game, Pepperdine's last time out on the field was up in San Francisco last weekend in a three-game series against the Dons. The Waves took the Saturday game, but dropped the series 1-2.

WCC PRESEASON: Identical to last season, Pepperdine is predicted to finish seventh in the West Coast Conference this year. The whole list is as follows:
1. San Diego 2. Portland T-3. Gonzaga T-3. Saint Mary's 5. Santa Clara 6. LMU 7. Pepperdine 8. San Francisco; 9. Pacific.
 
UP WITH UPSTILL: Graduate Nick Upstill leads the Waves with a .333 batting average, including a team-high 11 extra base hits. With a .800 stolen base percentage, the Huntington Beach native is intentional when he is on base, reflected by his statistics as he leads Pepperdine in nearly all offensive categories.
 
WAVES IN THE DRAFT: In the 2019 MLB Draft, Easton Lucas was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 14th round with the 411th overall pick. He made his big league debut with the Oakland Athletics on 9/8/23 as a relieving pitcher against the Texas Rangers. Lucas has transitioned into a starter role with the Toronto Bluejays and through two starts this season, has pitched 10.1 scoreless innings.
In 2023, middle infielders Ryan Johnson and John Peck were both selected in the MLB Draft. Peck was the Waves' highest drafted player since 2016, having been selected in the seventh round by the Detroit Tigers. Johnson was drafted in the eighth round by the Houston Astros. This is the first time since 2010 that Pepperdine had two picks in the first eight rounds. Left handed pitcher Shane Telfer also signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks on 7/17/23.
 
Last season, Billy Cook premiered in the majors with the Pittburgh Pirates, orignially drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. 
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY:  Pepperdine won its only College World Series title in 1992 and also played in the 1979 CWS. The Waves made their 30th and most recent appearance in NCAA postseason play in 2015, advancing to the NCAA Fullerton Regional final. In 2014 Pepperdine made its first ever NCAA Super Regional after winning the San Luis Obispo Regional Tournament. The Waves eventually fell to TCU, two games to one in the best-of-three series.
 
TICKETS: Season tickets are now available for just $99! Any group inquiries for discounted rates can contact alrick.drummond@pepperdine.edu. All tickets can be purchased at tickets.pepperdinewaves.com. Register your youngster today to get exclusive perks like a JR WAVES t shirt and access to home events. Email joey.swett@pepperdine.edu for all interests.
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY: Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 20 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, five times (most recently in back-to-back years during the 2022-23 and 2021-22). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #76 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.