FAYETTEVILLE - No star, no problem.

No. 13 Pepperdine could be without its star player in the Stanford Regional, which begins Friday in Palo Alto, Calif. Junior left fielder Eric Thames injured his leg in a game and hasn't played since May 16.

The second-seeded Waves (36-19 ) play third-seeded Arkansas (34-22 ) at 3 p.m. Friday, and Pepperdine Coach Steve Rodriguez said Thames won't play in the regional.

Thames batted. 407 with 13 home runs, 58 runs scored and 59 RBI and was named the We s t Coa s t Conference's Player of the Year. David Harris, who hit. 288 with 4 home runs and 27 RBI, replaced Thames in the lineup for the WCC championship series

If Rodriguez had his druthers, Thames would be healthy and batting cleanup, but Pepperdine will cope the best it can.

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"Any time you're missing one of your guys who has done an amazing job, it's totally a big blow," said Rodriguez, who is 184-117 in his fifth season. "Other guys will have to step up. That's what makes a team better. That's what we're hoping for."

The Waves have had far from a smooth season. They started the season with 16 new players after nine were drafted last summer. The number drafted tied a school record.

Then staff ace Brett Hunter went down with an arm injury in late February and didn't see action until facing two batters May 17. Hunter pitched for Team USA this past summer, and his injury forced Pepperdine to use two freshmen in the starting rotation.

"Our guys have done an amazing job overcoming injuries," Rodriguez said.

The Waves aren't exactly hurting for talent with Thames sidelined. Junior third baseman Bryce Mendonca led the WCC with 29 stolen bases and hit. 335.

"He has been a great catalyst," Rodriguez said.

Five other starters hit. 306 or better, and the Waves have eight starters who drove in at least 28 runs. The team stole 71 bases.

"We're a little bit of everything," Rodriguez said. "We have a little bit of speed, we have a little bit of power, a little bit of pitching. Our defense is OK. We're not going to do anything that makes people think, 'Oh my God, look at that !'"

Rodriguez said he doesn't have a set formula for winning games. He tries to get the best players he can and then figures out how to use them once the season gets rolling.

That adaptability is part of the reason for Pepperdine's success. If the team isn't hitting home runs, the Waves can rely on defense or scratching out runs.

"Every coach always wants to get the best athletes," Rodriguez said. "People ask me, ' What's your team philosophy ?' I say, 'I don't know, I haven't seen my team this year.' Every year changes."

Rodriguez said he expects Hunter to pitch in the regional, but he won't start the first game against Arkansas. Junior righthander Nathan Newman (7-4, 3. 52 ERA ) will get the nod for that game, and Rodriguez said the rotation after that isn't set.

The Waves have freshman left-handers Scott Alexander (7-4, 4. 44 ERA ) and Matt Bywater (7-2, 4. 97 ) as well as junior left-hander Robert Dickmann (3-5, 5. 46 ). All four started at least 11 games this year.

"After [Newman ], it's going to be up in the air," Rodriguez said. "We're going to see who matches up with who and go from there. Having a Brett Hunter back in the rotation will really help bolster what we already have." Stanford Regional At Sunken Diamond, Palo Alto, Calif. All times Central Double elimination

FRIDAY'S GAMES GAME 1 Pepperdine (36-19 ) vs. Arkansas (34-22 ), 3 p.m. GAME 2 Stanford (33-21-2 ) vs. UC Davis (34-22 ), 7 p.m. SATURDAY'S GAMES GAME 3 Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. GAME 4 Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. SUNDAY'S GAMES GAME 5 Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. GAME 6 Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m.

MONDAY'S GAME GAME 7 Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 3 p. m., if necessary