Box Score WICHITA -- The Wichita State baseball team (7-7) posted a three-run first but could not hold off a late rally by No. 11 Pepperdine (11-4) as the Waves took the second game of the series, 7-4, on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium.

Clinton McKeever led the Shockers offensively, driving in two, while Tyler Grimes and Cody Lassley both posted two hits each on the afternoon.

Brian Humphries led the Waves with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with three RBI.

The Shockers got on the board early with a three-run first that started with a one-out single up the middle by Tyler Grimes. Ryan Jones then walked on four pitches and both runners moved into scoring position after a wild pitch from Pepperdine starter Scott Alexander. Clinton McKeever came up big with a two-RBI double to left center that brought both Jones and Grimes home to give the Shockers an early 2-0 lead before McKeever came home on a Cody Lassley two-out single through the right side that completed the big inning to put WSU ahead 3-0 after one.

Alexander worked just two innings in the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts on 49 pitches.

Wichita State starter Charlie Lowell shined through the first five innings, allowing just one hit before running into trouble in the sixth. Miles Silverstein got things started for by slapping a one-out single through the right side before Pepperdine leadoff hitter Bryce Mendonca took a 1-2 pitch from Lowell down the right line to start the first real rally of the day for the Waves. Brian Humphries brought home the first Pepperdine run of the day with a ground ball to first that scored Silverstein. Lowell proceeded to walk Trent Diedrich on four-straight pitches and third baseman Colin Rooney made him pay one batter later, firing a 3-2 pitch right back up the middle to plate Mendonca and bring the Waves to within 3-2.

Lowell worked a 3-1 count to Ryan Van Amburg before turning the ball over to Chance Sossamon who completed the walk on his first pitch of the day to put Waves on first and second with two outs. Sossamon settled in however, striking out Aaron Gates to end the threat and preserve Wichita State's lead after six. The freshman starter finished his afternoon giving up two runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work.

Mitch Caster led off the Shocker seventh with a single before stealing to second and moving to third on a ground ball down the first base line by Andrew Letourneau. Will Baez placed a well hit ball in the gap on the left side of the infield, by Waves shortstop Miles Silverstein made a great back-handed grab to save a run, at least for the moment. Grimes came to the plate and gave the Shockers some insurance a batter later, sending a pitch off Pepperdine reliever Cole Cook into left center, scoring Caster and giving WSU a 4-2 lead after seven.

Humphries posted a one-out double in the eighth off Sossamon, but the Waves couldn't capitalize and McKeever led off the Shocker eighth with a long fly ball to the left field wall that was halued in by Van Amburg, keeping WSU from extending its lead. Cody Lassley backed up McKeever's out with one of his own that forced Humphries to the wall in left center, but again the catch was made keeping the Shockers off the board.

The Waves put runners at the corners with nobody out to start the ninth, after Sossamon hit Van Amburg and gave up a hard hit ball down the right line to Aaron Gates, giving Pepperdine life in the top of the frame. Bobby Cozine moved the runner to second on a sacrifice before Nate Simon lifted a pitch to shallow right to score Van Amburg, shrinking WSU's lead to 4-3. Sossamon struck out pinch-hitter David Harris for the second out and worked Mendonca to a 2-2 count before the leadoff hitter tied the game with a single through the right side that scored pinch-runner Tyler Brubaker.

McKeever came on to try to shut down the rally, but sent the runners into scoring position with a wild pitch that allowed both Mendonca and Simon to score a batter later when Humphries sent a full count pitch the left to give Pepperdine a 6-4 lead.

Humphries went to third on a wild pitch and came home a batter later as Trent Diedrich chased McKeever with a single that got through the left side, scoring Humphies and extending the Waves' lead to 7-4. Clint Maune came on in relief of McKeever but the damage was done, as the five-run two-out rally gave Pepperdine the win.

Nick Gaudi came on to work the ninth for the Waves and hit Caster before giving up a single to Letourneau to give the Shockers runners at first and second with no outs. The Shocker rally came up short however, as Will Baez flew out to right and Grimes was called out on strikes before Jones went down swinging to end the game, earning Gaudi his third save of the season.

Pepperdine reliever Cole Cook (4-0) worked six innings, scattering three hits with just one run to pick up the win. Cook walked just one and struck out seven in 87 pitches on the day.

Sossamon (0-1) took the loss for the Shockers, giving up four runs on four hits in three innings of relief work.

The teams wrap up the series tomorrow at 1 p.m., at Eck Stadium.