A series that started off so promising ended with a thud on Sunday.

Hawaii allowed eight runs after the sixth inning as Pepperdine pounded UH pitching for the third time in four days to win 10-5 and take the series at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu, Calif.

Brad Anderson put the game on ice with a two-out, three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Waves (7-5), who outscored Hawaii 28-6 over the last three games.

UH (5-8) had scored two runs in 25 innings since a 15-8 win in the opener when a four-run outburst in the eighth cut the deficit to 6-5.

Any chances of completing the comeback were dashed by Anderson’s blast as Hawaii’s bullpen allowed eight runs and 10 hits in three innings.

UH has now lost seven of its last eight road series dating back to 2013.

"It was not a good series for us," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "The last three games in particular, we played one good inning of offense and today was really disappointing because we found a way to battle and get back in it and the two guys who have had the most success, our two best bullpen guys, weren’t able to get anything done."

Matt Valencia and Cody Culp had combined to throw 11 shutout innings and allow only three hits over the first two weeks of the season.

On Sunday, Culp’s throwing error at first keyed a four-run seventh inning for the Waves, who built a 6-1 lead.

Pepperdine starter Ryan Wilson (2-0) held Hawaii to one unearned run over seven innings with nine strikeouts, but was up to 110 pitches.

Kiko Garcia came in to start the eighth and allowed five straight UH hitters to reach base.

J.J. Kitaoka opened with a triple and scored on Jordan Richartz’s base hit after Kaeo Aliviado drew a walk. Eric Ramirez followed with a base hit and Alan Baldwin’s single drove in Aliviado to make it 6-3 and put the tying run on first with nobody out.

Chandler Blanchard came on for Garcia and gave up a sacrifice fly to Alex Sawelson to make it 6-4. Chayce Ka‘aua followed with a deep blast to left that was caught at the wall. A two-out RBI single by Jonathan Weeks made it a one-run game, but shortstop Jacob Sheldon-Collins grounded into a fielder’s choice.

"Thursday and Friday that ball was out because of the way the wind was blowing more in today," Trapasso said of Ka‘aua’s hit. "That’s where Anderson’s ball was an absolute missile the way he hit it, but (the pitch) was also (a) belt-high, right-down-the-middle first pitch."

Culp allowed four runs on five hits in 11⁄3 innings before giving way to Juliene Jones, who got the last out of the seventh.

Jones stayed in for the eighth and allowed Pepperdine to load the bases with one out before giving way to Valencia. Valencia got Aaron Barnett to hit a grounder to first, but Barnett beat the throw back from second to avoid the inning-ending double play.

Anderson crushed the next pitch over the wall in center.

"We didn’t play well overall for the series," Trapasso said. "We’re going to have to go practice on Tuesday and work on it because we’re capable, we just have to execute. Execute our pitches and execute at the plate."

Starter Kyle Von Ruden (1-1) was hit with the loss despite allowing only one earned run on five hits in five innings with one walk and three strikeouts.

Von Ruden was hit on the foot by a ball in the fourth inning and had to come out after the fifth despite throwing only 73 pitches.

"He kind of cracked a toe nail and it was pretty gross," Trapasso said. "He was actually throwing pretty well, but you start messing around with how you land when you have a foot injury and that is when you end up hurting your arm."

Hawaii had 11 hits, with Kitaoka’s triple the only one to go for extra bases.

Kitaoka, Ramirez, Ka‘aua and Weeks had two hits apiece. Sheldon-Collins hit leadoff in place of injured second baseman Stephen Ventimilia and went 0-for-5 with two errors.

Ventimilia met with a local doctor on Saturday who recommended an MRI on his right knee. Ventimilia will fly back to Hawaii on Monday to have it done.

"Hopefully we’ll know more (Monday) night, but the fact he’s getting the MRI isn’t good news," Trapasso said.

Without Ventimilia in the lineup, UH’s leadoff hitters went a combined 1-for-13 the last three days.

Hawaii was also without backup infielder Conner Linebarger, who suffered a concussion before Saturday’s game when he was struck in the neck by a line drive.

PEPPERDINE 10, HAWAII 5

E–Sheldon-Collins 2; Culp; Wilson. DP–Hawaii. LOB–Hawaii 8; Pepperdine 7. 2B–Moyer; Costello; Fornaci; Jefferson. 3B–Kitaoka. HR–Anderson. SH–Weeks; Caruso. 2. SF–Baldwin; Sawelson. CS–Jefferson.

Garcia faced 5 batters in the 8th.
PB–Barnett.
Umpires–(Plate): Billy Haze. (First): Greg Charles. (Third): Brian Marine. T–2:49. A–211.