MALIBU, Calif. (Interstat) — Casey Euper threw seven strong innings and Pepperdine scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to break a tie and beat Portland 5-3 on Friday night at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Euper scattered six hits and three earned runs while striking out eight to improve the Waves to 19-29. The Pilots fell to 25-21.

Portland grabbed an early lead in the top of the second inning. With one out, Tommy Cote singled to right field and advanced to second on a walk to Nick Bean. Jonas Salk singled to center, loading the bases. Dakota Chun then reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Cote for the game’s first run. Portland added two more runs in the top of the sixth when Salk doubled to left field, scoring Trey Swygart and Bean to make it 3-0.

Pepperdine answered in the bottom of the fourth. Joshua Woodworth singled to left, and Trey Dunn singled to shallow left to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved them up, James Dell’Amico infield singled to third, scoring Woodworth to cut the lead to 3-1. But the rally ended on a double play.

The Waves tied the game in the fifth. After a walk and a single put two on, Woodworth singled to deep right field, driving in two runs and knotting the score at 3-3. Portland starter William Labonte exited after 4 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on no hits with one strikeout. Swygart moved from designated hitter to pitcher and finished the inning.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Patterson singled, and Nunez singled to right center. Woodworth grounded out, advancing both runners. Then Dunn singled to right field, scoring Patterson and Nunez to give Pepperdine a 5-3 lead. An error on the play allowed Dunn to advance to second, but the Waves could not add more.

Portland threatened in the top of the eighth against new Pepperdine reliever Dylan Stewart, but he struck out two and induced a groundout to maintain the two-run lead. In the ninth, Lucien Wechsberg came on and allowed a one-out single to Salk, but Chun grounded into a double play to end the game. Stewart earned the hold with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts, while Wechsberg notched the save.

Salk led Portland at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Chun added a hit and an RBI. For Pepperdine, Woodworth was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Dell’Amico was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Dunn was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Dunn’s seventh-inning hit proved the difference.

Euper’s performance continued a strong recent stretch. In his previous start May 1 against San Francisco, he allowed two earned runs over six innings in a no-decision.

The two teams continue their series Saturday and Sunday at Eddy D. Field Stadium. Portland then travels to Oregon State on Tuesday, while Pepperdine visits Santa Clara next weekend.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Pepperdine 6, Portland 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Portland with a 67.40 percent probability to win.