MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine freshman Matt Bywater picked up his second collegiate win in as many starts and the #24 Waves claimed a 10-5 win over USC on Tuesday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium

With the win, Pepperdine improved to 6-2 and claimed its fifth consecutive win over USC (5-4). The teams will face off again tomorrow at the Trojans’ Dedeaux Field at 6 p.m.

USC took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out, two-run single, but the Waves responded with a run in their half of the first on Chase d'Arnaud’s (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Waves captured the lead for good in the second inning, as Matt Aidem (Valencia, Calif./UC Santa Barbara/Valencia HS) delivered his first career home run, a three-run bomb to right field to put the Waves ahead 4-2. Pepperdine added a run in the fifth after Nate Simon (Duvall, Wash./Tulane) doubled with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly to expand the lead to 5-2, pushed across two more runs in the fifth inning on only one hit to increase the lead to 7-2, and blew the game open in the sixth on a three-run homer from Eric Thames (San Jose, Calif./West Valley JC/Bellarmine Prep), his first as a Wave, to push the lead to 10-2.

Meanwhile, Bywater kept the Trojans off balance in only his second career start, limiting USC to two runs over seven innings despite allowing eight hits. USC cut into the Pepperdine lead with three runs in the eighth inning to make the score 10-5 and loaded the bases in the ninth inning with one out, sending Pepperdine closer Matt Gaudi (Lancaster, Calif./Paraclete HS) in for a save situation. Gaudi induced a game-ending double-play to the first batter he faced to seal the win for the Waves.

The Waves had four players tally multi-hit games, as Aidem went 2-for-4 with four RBI, Thames went 2-for-5 with three RBI, Bryce Mendonca (San Leandro, Calif./Chabot JC) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and d’Arnaud notched a pair of hits. The Trojans were led by Robert Lopez, who tallied three hits, and Derek Perren and Anthony Vasquez, who each notched a pair of hits.

Bywater earned the win and improved to 2-0 after fanning six batters in his seven innings of work, and Gaudi recorded his third save of the season. USC starter Ryan Cook incurred the loss.

“Matt Bywater did a great job, he gave up a lot of singles, but he found a way to battle though it and get some ground balls for double plays and key strikeouts when he needed them,” Pepperdine Coach Steve Rodriguez said. “Offensively, we did a great job of being patient and taking advantage of everything they gave us.”

The teams square off again tomorrow at the Trojans’ Dedeaux Field at 6 p.m, with LHP Robert Dickmann scheduled to start for Pepperdine and LHP Anthony Vasquez for USC.