Arizona baseball coaching search: Pepperdine, Steve Rodriguez, eliminate ASU from Fullerton Regional

The potential Arizona head coach already earning some fans in Tucson

If you want to win the favor of Arizona fans, the sure way of doing it is by crushing the spirits of ASU fans.

And that's what Pepperdine baseball head coach Steve Rodriguez did on Sunday evening, as the Waves eliminated the Sun Devils with a 7-4 win.

The game was tied 4-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Pepperdine loaded the bases, and Hutton Moyer unloaded them with a double to take the 7-4 lead, and eventually the win.

Rodriguez is in his 12th year as head coach of the Waves, and his contract runs through 2016. We've been talking about UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts a lot. But really, a lot. Checketts' contract does run through 2019, which makes Rodriguez slightly more plausible.

Rodriguez was part of the 1992 National Championship Pepperdine team that was coached by Andy Lopez, and became a fifth-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox that season. He played pro ball for seven years before returning to Pepperdine first as an assistant, then taking over the head coaching duties in June of 2003.

In his 12 years as head coach, Pepperdine has made the postseason eight times, including this run where they will now face Cal State Fullerton in the Regional Championship.

Thanks for taking out ASU coach. Duly noted.

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