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Knights Daily Update

Nick Torres playing for Eugene Emeralds

July 8, 2014

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

We will be brief today, after spending more than four hours at the ballpark last night watching the Knights edge Medford 9-8 in a 12-inning marathon that took 4:04 to complete.

Game 2 of the series is set for 6:40 tonight. Righty Chris Haddeland (2-2, 2.97) of Linfield is our starter, opposed by Nebraska lefty Christian Cox (0-1, 3.77), last night's center fielder for the Rogues.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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We have some nice promotions for our ongoing homestand, which also features three games against Klamath Falls this Thursday-Saturday.

* Tonight is a Bi-Mart $2 Tuesday, and Hilton Garden Inn Night. Show your Bi-Mart member card to purchase a GA ticket for $2. Coors Light is priced right on Bi-Mart $2 Tuesdays, and sodas are only $2.

* Wednesday is Barker-Uerlings Insulated Cooler Giveaway Night. Seniors can purchase GA tickets for $2. Also, the Calapooia Party Bus is making a return trip to Goss Stadium. Board the bus at Calapooia Brewing Co in Albany.

* Thursday is a Block 15 Thursday, presented by KLOO-FM/Papa's Pizza Singles Night. The First 250 fans get a delicious single slice of pizza compliments of Papa's Pizza Parlor. Enjoy a specially-priced Block 15 brew and a $1 hot dog.

* Friday is Cap Night, presented by the Mario Pastega House. The first 500 fans get Knights' hats compliments of the Mario Pastega House.

* Saturday is Les & Bobs Tee-Shirt Giveaway Night, presented by Servpro. The first 150 fans get Knights' t-shirts compliments of Les and Bobs.

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Some alumni news of interest:

* Nick Torres (2012), an outfielder from Cal Poly, has been assigned to Eugene in the Northwest League by the San Diego Padres, who selected him in the fourth round of the recent MLB draft. Alum Max Beatty (2010-12) pitches for the Emeralds.

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Monday's crowd of 718 on a warm night at the ballpark upped the 2014 attendance to 22,676 in 18 openings. That's 384 more than 2013, when the Knights drew a franchise-record 43,557 fans, through a corresponding number of home dates.

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Durham (AAA International, Rays) pitcher Matt Andriese (2009) allowed one run and five hits, and had four strikeouts, in seven innings and got the victory in a 2-1 win over Norfolk on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* El Paso (AAA Pacific Coast, Padres) catcher Rocky Gale (2007, 2009) was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in a 7-5 loss to Albuquerque.

* Arkansas (AA Texas, Angels) outfielder Adam Melker (2008-09) homered in a 6-3 loss to Midland.

* Salem (A Carolina, Red Sox) pitcher Kyle Kraus (2009-10) allowed one hit and had two strikeouts in four scoreless innings in a 9-8 loss to Frederick.

* Johnson City (R Appalachian, Cardinals) outfielder Blake Drake (2013) was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs in a 15-7 loss to Elizabethton.

* Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run in a 12-6 win over Frederick.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Wednesday.


Homestand opens with series against Medford

July 7, 2014

Happy Monday, everyone. Hope you all had a great weekend.

After a night off (our first since June 10) we are back at it at 6:40 tonight, hosting the Medford Rogues in the opening game of a three-game series at Goss Stadium. The series continues at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Our starting rotation is set. Righty Chris Bishop (1-2, 5.54) of Pacific Lutheran goes tonight. Righty Angel Landazuri (1-0, 2.16) of UC Riverside goes on Tuesday and righty Chris Haddeland (2-2, 2.97) of Linfield pitches on Wednesday.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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Bellingham closer David Bigelow was named WCL Player of the Week for June 30-July 6. The rising redshirt junior at Gonzaga recorded two saves and a win in four appearances. Here is more on that story from the WCL website.

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We have some nice promotions for our upcoming homestand, which also features three games against Klamath Falls this Thursday-Saturday.

* Tuesday is a Bi-Mart $2 Tuesday, and Hilton Garden Inn Night. Show your Bi-Mart member card to purchase a GA ticket for $2. Coors Light is priced right on Bi-Mart $2 Tuesdays, and sodas are only $2.

* Wednesday is Barker-Uerlings Insulated Cooler Giveaway Night. Seniors can purchase GA tickets for $2. Also, the Calapooia Party Bus is making a return trip to Goss Stadium. Board the bus at Calapooia Brewing Company in Albany.

* Thursday is a Block 15 Thursday, presented by KLOO-FM/Papa's Pizza Singles Night. The First 250 fans get a delicious single slice of pizza compliments of Papa's Pizza Parlor. Enjoy a specially-priced Block 15 brew and a $1 hot dog.

* Friday is Cap Night, presented by the Mario Pastega House. The first 500 fans get Knights' hats compliments of the Mario Pastega House.

* Saturday is Les & Bobs Tee-Shirt Giveaway Night, presented by Servpro. The first 150 fans get Knights' t-shirts compliments of Les and Bobs.

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Some news on left-handing pitching alums from Oregon State:

* Ben Wetzler (2011), a left-handed pitcher from Oregon State, has been assigned to Batavia in the New York-Penn League by the Miami Marlins. He was their ninth-round selection in the recent MLB draft. He's listed as Ben Holmes on their roster.

* The Blue Jays have promoted Matt Boyd (2010) back to double-A New Hampshire of the Eastern League for the second time after he continued to dominated at Dunedin at the advanced-A Florida State League. Matt allowed one run and four hits and had nine strikeouts in six innings and got a no-decision against Trenton this past Saturday in his first start back with the Fisher Cats.

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The crowd of 2,955 for Fireworks Night last week upped our 2014 attendance to 21,958 in 17 openings. That's 665 more than 2013, when we drew a franchise-record 43,557 fans, through a corresponding number of home dates.

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Lake County (A Midwest, Indians) third baseman Grant Fink (2011) was 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and three RBIs in an 8-7 loss to South Bend on Sunday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* El Paso (AAA Pacific Coast, Padres) catcher Rocky Gale (2007, 2009) was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs in a 12-10 win over Salt Lake.

* Richmond (AA Eastern, Giants) shortstop Matt Duffy (2010) was 2-for-3 with a homer in a 6-2 loss to Reading.

* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-5 with two doubles, a run and five RBIs in a 10-9 win over Binghamton.

* Springfield (AA Texas, Cardinals) pitcher Sam Gaviglio (2009) allowed one run on six hits and had no walks and four strikeouts in seven innings and got a no-decision in a 2-1 loss to San Antonio.

* Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs in a 12-7 win over Hagerstown.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and with the Blog on Tuesday.


Super Fireworks Night at Goss Stadium!

July 3, 2014

Happy Thursday, everyone.

Great night at Goss Stadium on Wednesday. We defeated Medford 7-0 to sweep the series and to move into first place in the South Division of the West Coast League. Our annual OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night show drew 2,955 fans, the second-largest crowd in franchise history and a complete sellout.

We hit the road this morning for a three-game series at Klamath Falls that starts at 6:35 tonight at Kiger Stadium. Justin Calomeni (1-1, 1.14) is our projected starting pitcher.

That series lasts through Saturday night; all three games start at 6:35 p.m. We are idle on Sunday (our first off day since June 10) and then begin a six-game homestand against Medford and Klamath Falls on Monday.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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As we mentioned, Wednesday's crowd of 2,955 was the second-largest in team history, surpassed only by the 2009 Fireworks Night gathering of 3,506, back when we sold standing-room tickets. Wednesday upped the 2014 attendance to 21,958 in 17 openings. That's 665 more than 2013, when we drew a franchise-record 43,557 fans, through a corresponding number of home dates.

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Our starting pitching was outstanding against Medford. In three games, Chris Bishop (Monday), Angel Landazuri (Tuesday) and Chris Haddeland (Wednesday) gave up a combined two runs and 15 hits in 19.1 innings and compiled a microscopic 0.91 ERA.

Yes, we have some bullpen issues to work out and some health problems to resolve. But with three straight wins we seem to be back on track and ready to compete for our eighth consecutive division championship and another playoff berth.

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Hillsboro (A Northwest, Diamondbacks) pitcher Scott Schultz (2011) had two strikeouts and allowed three runs in six innings on Wednesday and picked up his first win as a professional in a 6-3 victory over Everett to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Braves (R Gulf Coast League, Braves) pitcher Dylan Stuart (2011-12) had one strikeout in a scoreless inning and earned his first professional victory in a 6-5 win over the GCL Phillies.

* Colorado Springs (AAA Pacific Coast, Rockies) second baseman Drew Garcia (2007) was 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run in a 7-5 win over Oklahoma City.

* Lake County (A Midwest, Indians) pitcher Trevor Frank (2012) pitched a scoreless ninth and had one strikeout to notch his sixth save in a 4-2 win over Bowling Green.

* Ogden (R Pioneer, Dodgers) second baseman Jimmy Allen (2011) was 2-for-4 with two runs in a 10-5 win over Idaho Falls.

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The WCL has selected UC Santa Barbara freshman pitcher Shane Bieber of the Cowlitz Black Bears as the WCL Player of the Week for June 23-29. Here is more on that story from Summer Baseball Insider.

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

MEDFORD: The Rogues will hold a B.G. Gould Bobblehead Night on Saturday, honoring the longtime Medford sports fan and school administrator. Here is more on that story, from the Medford Mail Tribune newspaper.

VICTORIA: Manager Bob Miller has been suspended for four days and the HarbourCats have made some personnel moves. Please click here for complete details, from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. We are off tomorrow for the July 4th holiday. Have a great weekend and we will see you again on Monday, with the blog and at the ballpark for our rematch with Medford.


Incredible win over Medford on Tuesday

July 2, 2014

Happy Wednesday, everyone.

Incredible game at Goss Stadium last night, as we rallied with two outs in the bottom of the 11th to edge Medford 7-6 in a game we probably should have won in nine innings in the first place.

Oh well, all is well that ends well, right? If you did miss it, here is a recap, from our website.

We are back at it with Medford at 7:15 tonight on OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night. Tickets still remain, but they are going fast. Chris Haddeland (1-2, 3.66) of Linfield is our projected starter, opposed by Brandon Erickson (2-1, 2.84) of Feather River College in a matchup of right-handers.

We hit the road on Thursday for a three-game series at Klamath Falls. We are idle on Sunday (our first off day since June 10) and then start a six-game homestand against Medford and Klamath Falls on July 7.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

-------------------------------------------

Tuesday's crowd of 964 upped the 2014 attendance to 19,003 in 16 openings, 1,154 behind 2013 through a corresponding number of home dates. The Knights drew a franchise-record 43,557 fans in 2013.

We should zoom back ahead of last year's pace after tonight, which should draw a capacity crowd of 2,930. Better get your tickets now because they are going fast!

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Two minor-league alums have been promoted to triple-A by their parent teams.

* The Mets bumped pitcher Greg Peavey (2007) to Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League from Binghamton in the double-A Eastern League.

* The Dodgers moved pitcher Nick Struck (2009) to Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League from Chattanooga in the double-A Southern League.

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Richmond (AA Eastern, Giants) pitcher Josh Osich (2008) had two strikeouts in 2.1 scoreless innings and got the win in a 3-2 victory over Harrisburg on Tuesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Lehigh Valley (AAA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy (2007) was 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in a 3-2 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

* Durham (AAA International, Rays) pitcher Matt Andriese (2009) allowed three runs and had six strikeouts in 6.2 innings and got the win in an 8-4 victory over Pawtucket.

* Jacksonville (AA Southern, Marlins) pitcher James Nygren (2009) pitched two scoreless innings, struck out one and got the win in a 4-3 victory over Pensacola.

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Here is our weekly "Knights in the Pros" update :

DAYTON ALEXANDER (A Vermont, A's): The outfielder from Feather River JC (2011) is hitting .183 (11-60) in 16 games, with no homers and four RBIs.

JIMMY ALLEN (A Ogden, Dodgers): The second baseman from Cal Poly (2011) is hitting .296 (8-27) in eight games, with four RBIs.

BO ALTOBELLI (A Cedar Rapids, Twins): The catcher from Texas Tech (2010) is hitting .216 (29-134) in 40 games, with a homer and five RBIs.

DAVID ANDRIESE (A Jamestown, Pirates): The outfielder from UC Riverside (2010-11) is hitting .129 (4-31) in nine games, with no homers and one RBI.

DAVID ARMENDARIZ (A ARL Indians, Indians): The outfielder from Cal Poly Pomona (2011) is hitting .300 (6-20) in six games with the Arizona Rookie League Indians, with two RBIs.

ALEX BURG (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The catcher/outfielder from Washington State (2008) is hitting .263 (45-171) in 55 games, with five homers and 22 RBIs.

BLAKE DRAKE (A Johnson City, Cardinals): The outfielder from Concordia (2013) is hitting .333 (12-36) in 10 games, with no homers and five RBIs.

MATT DUFFY (AA Richmond, Giants): The shortstop from Long Beach State (2010) is hitting .333 (95-285) in 76 games, with two homers and 48 RBIs.

GRANT FINK (A Lake County, Indians): The third baseman from Missouri Western (2011) is hitting .242 (64-264) in 75 games, with eight homers and 38 RBIs.

ROCKY GALE (AAA El Paso, Padres): The catcher from Portland (2007, 2009) is hitting .309 (29-94) in 34 games, with 19 RBIs.

DREW GARCIA (AAA Colorado Springs, Rockies): The second baseman from UC Riverside (2007) is hitting .256 (51-199) in 64 games, with four homers and 29 RBIs.

RYAN GORTON (A Stockton, A's): The catcher from Oregon State (2011) is hitting .158 (9-57) in 16 games, with no homers and one RBI.

CADE GOTTA (A Gulf Coast League Rays, Rays): The outfielder from San Diego Christian (2011) is hitting .265 (9-34) in nine games, with no homers and six RBIs.

DEAN GREEN (AA Erie, Tigers): The first baseman from Oklahoma State/Barry University (2008) is hitting .281 (57-203) in 59 games, with three homers and 24 RBIs.

MITCH HANIGER (AA Huntsville, Brewers): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2010) is hitting .263 (62-236) in 65 games, with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. He is on the DL.

DANNY HAYES (A Kannapolis, White Sox): The first baseman from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .294 (77-262) in 75 games, with six homers and 39 RBIs.

KAVIN KEYES (Mariners): The infielder from Oregon State (2013) has not yet been assigned to an affiliate team.

ADAM MELKER (AA Arkansas, Angels): The outfielder from Cal Poly is hitting .240 (43-179) in 49 games, with two homers and 17 RBIs.

BRENT MOREL (AAA Indianapolis, Pirates): The third baseman from Cal Poly (2007) is hitting .214 (44-206) in 58 games, with two homers and 27 RBIs.

JIM MURPHY (AAA Lehigh Valley, Phillies): The first baseman from Washington State (2007) is hitting .239 (63-264) in 76 games, with 10 homers and 35 RBIs.

CHRIS RABAGO (A Tri-Cities, Rockies): The shortstop from UC Irvine (2012-13) is hitting .217 (5-23) in six games, with two RBIs.

JAKE RODRIGUEZ (A Quad City, Astros): The catcher from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .157 (8-51) in 16 games, with no homers and two RBIs.

ANDREW SUSAC (AAA Fresno, Giants): The catcher from Oregon State (2009) is hitting .269 (43-160) in 47 games, with seven homers and 24 RBIs.

JUSTIN VIELE (A Aberdeen, Orioles): The shortstop from Santa Clara (2010) is hitting .186 (8-43) in 14 games, with no homers and four RBIs.

TYLER ANDERSON (AA Tulsa, Rockies): The pitcher from Oregon (2009) is 3-3, 2.81 in 14 games, with 60 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

MATT ANDRIESE (AAA Durham, Rays): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2009) is 8-4, 3.56 in 17 games, with 82 strikeouts in 96 innings.

MAX BEATTY (A Eugene, Padres): The pitcher from Pacific Lutheran (2010-12) is 1-0, 0.00 in six games, with eight strikeouts in 9.1 innings.

MATT BOYD (A Dunedin, Blue Jays): The pitcher from Oregon State (2010) is 5-1, 0.99 in 11 games, with 75 strikeouts in 63.2 innings.

A.J. BURKE (A Vermont, A's): The pitcher from Western Oregon (2012) is 1-0, 1.96 in four games, with 18 strikeouts in 18.1 innings.

TREVOR FRANK (A Lake County, Indians): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2012) is 3-3, 2.81 in 27 games, with five saves and 31 strikeouts in 32 innings.

JACE FRY (A Great Falls, White Sox): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 1-0, 0.00 in two games, with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.

SAM GAVIGLIO (AA Springfield, Cardinals): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 3-9, 5.25in 16 games, with 80 strikeouts in 85.2 innings.

JUSTIN HEPNER (Gulf Coast League Marlins, Marlins): The pitcher from San Diego State (2011) is 0-0, 16.88 in two games, with no strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

CHASE JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Cal Poly (2011) is 1-5, 4.91 in 14 games, with 51 strikeouts in 58.2 innings.

CHRIS JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Portland (2011) is 0-1, 9.00 in one game, with no strikeouts in two innings. He is on the 7-day disabled list.

KYLE KRAUS (A Salem, Red Sox): The pitcher from Portland (2009-10) is 4-3, 5.18 in 15 games, with a save and 35 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.

SCOTT LYMAN (A Jupiter, Marlins): The pitcher from UC Davis (2010) is 3-8, 3.03 in 15 games, with 63 strikeouts in 86 innings.

GREG MAHLE (A Orem, Angels): The pitcher from UC Santa Barbara (2012) is 1-0, 0.00 in four games, with a save and nine strikeouts in six innings.

JAMES NYGREN (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 1-2, 4.42 in 21 games, with a save and 25 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.

JOSH OSICH (AA Richmond, Giants): The pitcher from Oregon State (2008) is 1-0, 5.11 in 22 games, with 23 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.

GREG PEAVEY (AAA Las Vegas, Mets): The pitcher from Oregon State (2007) is 1-3, 10.24 in four games, with 12 strikeouts in 19.1 innings.

SCOTT SCHULTZ (A Hillsboro, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 0-1, 2.45 in three games, with four strikeouts in 11 innings.

JIMMIE SHERFY (AA Mobile, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon (2011) is 1-0, 6.50 in 18 games, with a save and 24 strikeouts in 18 innings.

NICK STRUCK (AAA Las Vegas, Dodgers): The pitcher from Mt. Hood CC (2009) is 0-1, 5.63 in two games, with two strikeouts in eight innings.

DYLAN STUART (Gulf Coast League Braves, Braves): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2011-12) is 0-0, 2.08 in two games, with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

BEN WETZLER (Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) has yet to be assigned an affiliate team.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Thursday.


Good start against Medford

July 1, 2014

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Great start for the Knights last night in our series with Medford, as we prevailed 6-5 to knock a game off their lead in the South Division. Game 2 is set for 6:40 tonight at Goss Stadium, hope to see you there.

Righty Angel Landazuri of UC Riverside is our projected starter. The Knights now lead the all-time series 6-1 and are 4-0 against the Rogues at Goss Stadium.

We hit the road on Thursday for a three-game series at Klamath Falls. They are idle on Sunday (our first off day since June 10) and then start a six-game homestand against Medford and Klamath Falls on July 7.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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We have nice promotions for the final two games against Medford.

* Tonight is KRKT Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by Pioneer Telephone. All active and retired military personnel are admitted FREE, compliments of Pioneer Telephone. If you are a vet, let us know at the ticket booth window and we'll print you a GA ticket at no cost. If you are active, present your military identification at the ticket window for a FREE GA ticket.

* On Wednesday, it's the annual OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night, always a highlight of the summer in the Corvallis-Albany area. Get your tickets now, because it will sell out.

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We drew 1,041 last night for the opener of the Medford series. Our attendance has increased to 18,039 in 15 openings; that is 1,115 behind 2013 through a corresponding number of home dates.

We should zoom back ahead of last year's pace after Wednesday's Fireworks Night, which should draw a capacity crowd of 2,930. Better get your tickets now because they are going fast!

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The annual West Coast League All-Star Game is set for July 21 at Kiger Stadium in Klamath Falls. A full slate of activities is planned for fans and players.

* A Welcome Party will be held on July 20.

* A luncheon featuring guest speaker Bobby Evans, the Assistant General Manager of the San Francisco Giants and former Miss America Katie Harman-Ebner is set for July 21.

* The pre-game Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game are also set for July 21, as is the After Party.

Event and game tickets can be purchased online by clicking here. It is a fun event. We re-instated the ASG at Goss Stadium in 2011, and hopefully we can host it again someday!

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El Paso (AAA Pacific Coast, Padres) catcher Rocky Gale (2007, 2009) was 2-for-4 with a double and three RRBIs and raised his average to .308 in an 8-6 loss to Albuquerque on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Lehigh Valley (AAA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy (2007) homered, singled, scored and drove in two runs in a 9-7 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

* Colorado Springs (AAA Pacific Coast, Rockies) second baseman Drew Garcia (2007) was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI in a 10-6 loss to Oklahoma City.

* Salem (A Carolina, Red Sox) pitcher Kyle Kraus (2009-10) allowed no earned runs and had four strikeouts in three innings and got the win in a 7-5 victory over Wilmington.

* Lake County (A Midwest, Indians) third baseman Grant Fink had two homers and drove in two runs in a 13-2 win over Dayton.

* Rays (A Gulf Coast League, Rays) outfielder Cade Gotta (2011) was 2-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI in a 5-2 win over the GCL Twins.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

VICTORIA: The HarbourCats have signed Riverside City College pitcher Victor Delgado for the rest of the season. Click here to read more, from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Wednesday.


Medford visits for important South Division series

June 30, 2014

Happy Monday, everyone.

Hope you all had a great weekend. We dropped 2 of 3 to Wenatchee so ours didn't go as well as we'd hoped, but every day is a fresh start in baseball and we've got three important games with South Division pacesetter Medford on tap, starting at 6:40 tonight at Goss Stadium.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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Our series with Medford is a rematch of the 2013 WCL South Divisional playoffs, which the Knights won 2-0 to advance to the WCL Championship Series, where we defeated Wenatchee to claim their third league title.

The Rogues feature several names familiar to Corvallis fans. They are managed by Josh Hogan, an all-WCL middle infielder for the Knights from 2007-09. Former Oregon State players Max Gordon and Jared Norris are assistant coaches; OSU rising sophomore left-hander Trent Shelton is on the pitching staff.

Medford joined the WCL for the 2013 season in the third round of expansion. The Knights lead the all-time series 5-1 and are 3-0 at Goss Stadium.

The Knights hit the road on Thursday for a three-game series at Klamath Falls. We are idle on Sunday (our first off day since June 10) and then start a six-game homestand against Medford and Klamath Falls on July 7.

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We've got lots of promotions coming up for series against Medford.

* Tonight is Philomath Night, sponsored by the Philomath Chamber of Commerce. Come celebrate all things Philomath and learn more about Philomath's many summer events.

* Tuesday is KRKT Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by Pioneer Telephone. All active and retired military personnel are admitted FREE, compliments of Pioneer Telephone. If you are a vet, let us know at the ticket booth window and we'll print you a GA ticket at no cost. If you are active, present your military identification at the ticket window for a FREE GA ticket.

* On Wednesday, it's the annual OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night, always a highlight of the summer in the Corvallis-Albany area. Get your tickets now, because it will sell out.

----------------------------

We drew 1,006 last night for the finale of the Wenatchee series, a good Sunday crowd. Our attendance has increased to 16,998 in 14 openings; that is 1,304 behind 2013 through a corresponding number of home dates.

We should zoom back ahead of last year's pace after Wednesday's Fireworks Night, which should draw a capacity crowd of 2,930. Better get your tickets now because they are going fast!

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Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) doubled twice, drove in three runs and scored in a 7-3 win over Charleston on Sunday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Richmond (AA Eastern, Giants) shortstop Matt Duffy (2010) was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs in a 4-3 win over Bowie.

* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) was 3-for-4 in a 4-1 loss to Trenton.

* Arkansas (AA Texas, Angels) outfielder Grant Melker (2008-09) was 2-for-4 with a run in a 3-1 win over Midland.

* Dunedin (A Florida State, Blue Jays) pitcherMatt Boyd (2010) allowed three hits and one run and had eight strikeouts in six innings but was not involved in the decision in a 3-2 loss to Tampa.

* Vermont (A New York-Penn, A's) pitcher AJ Burke (2012) allowed two runs and had four strikeouts in 5.2 innings but was not involved in the decision in a 7-5 loss to Lowell.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

YAKIMA VALLEY: Nice story on Pippins players J.C. Snyder and Taylor Snyder, the sons of former big-leaguer Cory Snyder, in the Yakima Herald Republic newspaper. Click here for a good read.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Tuesday.


Knights open three-game series with Wenatchee

June 27, 2014

Happy Friday, everyone.

We face Wenatchee at 6:40 tonight in the opening game of a key West Coast League series. It doesn't look very nice out now but the weather is supposed to improve as the day goes along.

The ZOOperstars! will return to Goss Stadium tonight so we will do our very best to get the game in. Don't miss those hilarious inflatable characters, who have become a Corvallis favorite.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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Corvallis and Wenatchee are the two winningest programs in West Coast League history, and have met in the last two WCL Championship Series. The Knights swept the AppleSox 2-0 to capture the 2013 crown; Wenatchee downed the Knights 2-1 to claim the 2012 title. Corvallis also defeated Wenatchee to win the 2008 championship; Wenatchee swept Corvallis in 2009 finals.

The AppleSox lead the East Division and just won 2 of 3 against the Knights in Wenatchee earlier this week. Wenatchee went 6-2 in its last eight league games to assume the division lead. Corvallis is second to Medford in the South Division.

The series features the WCL's top hitters for average, power and production. AppleSox second baseman Caleb Wood, a junior-to-be at Gonzaga, leads the league in average at .471 (32-68) and in hits (32). Corvallis first baseman Kevin Kline, a rising senior at Dixie State, leads the WCL in homers (5) and RBIs (21).

Wenatchee is the only team with a winning regular-season record against the Knights, as they lead the series 28-26. However, Corvallis holds a 14-4 edge in games played at Goss Stadium, and 5-4 in all-time playoff games.

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We've got lots of promotions coming up for the final two games against Wenatchee and for the Monday-Wednesday series against Medford.

* On Saturday, help us celebrate 25 seasons of Knights Baseball on Nike Night. The first 1,000 kids through the gates get a Nike t-shirt. Wear the swoosh and get a raffle ticket for a chance to win cool Nike prizes during the game. We will also recognize Knights' alums in our pre-game ceremonies.

* Sunday is HOPE Night presented by 107.9 FM on June 29.

* Monday is Philomath Night, sponsored by the Philomath Chamber of Commerce. Come celebrate all things Philomath and learn more about Philomath's many summer events.

* Tuesday is KRKT Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by Pioneer Telephone. All active and retired military personnel are admitted FREE, compliments of Pioneer Telephone. If you are a vet, let us know at the ticket booth window and we'll print you a GA ticket at no cost. If you are active, present your military identification at the ticket window for a FREE GA ticket.

* On Wednesday, it's the annual OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night, always a highlight of the summer in the Corvallis-Albany area. Get your tickets now, because it will sell out.

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We drew 1,443 for our game against the Mid-Valley Rockets last night. Our attendance has risen to 13,303 in 11 openings; that is 378 ahead of 2013 through a corresponding number of home dates. The Knights drew a franchise-record 43,529 fans last summer.

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Renovations have started at Joe Etzel Field, the home stadium of partner program the University of Portland. Here is more on that story, from the Portland Business Journal.

With turf, Portland's slick-fielding shortstop Michael Lucarelli (2013-14) might not ever make an error!

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Durham (AAA International, Rays) pitcher Matt Andriese (2009) allowed three hits and two runs, had six strikeouts and got the decision in an 8-2 victory over Indianapolis on Thursday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Fresno (AAA Pacific Coast, Giants) catcher Andrew Susac (2009) was 2-for-4 in an 8-0 win over Salt Lake.

* Johnson City (R Appalachian, Cardinals) outfielder Blake Drake (2013) was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI in a 7-5 win over Bristol.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

KELOWNA: The Falcons raised more than $21,000 for local firefighters on Thursday night. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website.

VICTORIA: The HarbourCats have made some roster moves. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Monday.


Seven-game homestand opens tonight

June 26, 2014

Happy Thursday, everyone.

First, Go USA! We've all got World Cup fever.

A good night in Wenatchee on Wednesday, as we held on for a 6-5 win over the AppleSox to salvage the series finale. We hit four doubles, had 13 hits, and Brandon Choate dominated in the ninth inning to record his second save.

So now it's back to Goss Stadium, where we open a seven-game homestand at 6:40 tonight with our annual exhibition against the Mid-Valley Rockets American Legion team. It is a Block 15 Thursday and $1 hot dog night. It's also COUNTRY Financial Mini Bat Night; the first 250 fans get mini bats.

It's the third year in a row the Knights have hosted the Rockets, who are sponsored by Albany American Legion Post 10 and the Les Schwab Tire Stores of Albany and Lebanon.

Corvallis third baseman Jackson Soto is an alum of the Mid-Valley Rockets, as was former Knights' outfielder Jackson Ruckert, a 10-day signee earlier this season.

Right-hander Ted Hammond of Seattle University, who had been sidelined with a hand injury, makes his Knights' debut tonight. He was 2-1, 3.38 in 11 games, with 11 strikeouts in 21.1 innings for Seattle in 2014.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

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We've got lots of promotions coming up for the rest of our seven-game homestand, against East Division leader Wenatchee this Friday-Sunday and against South Division leader Medford this Monday-Wednesday.

* On Friday, the ZOOperstars! return to Goss Stadium. Don't miss those hilarious inflatable characters, who have become a Corvallis favorite.

* On Saturday, help us celebrate 25 seasons of Knights Baseball on Nike Night. The first 1,000 kids through the gates get a Nike t-shirt. Wear the swoosh and get a raffle ticket for a chance to win cool Nike prizes during the game. We will also recognize Knights' alums in our pre-game ceremonies.

* Sunday is HOPE Night presented by 107.9 FM on June 29.

* Monday is Philomath Night, sponsored by the Philomath Chamber of Commerce. Come celebrate all things Philomath and learn more about Philomath's many summer events.

* Tuesday is KRKT Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by Pioneer Telephone. All active and retired military personnel are admitted FREE, compliments of Pioneer Telephone. If you are a vet, let us know at the ticket booth window and we'll print you a GA ticket at no cost. If you are active, present your military identification at the ticket window for a FREE GA ticket.

* On Wednesday, it's the annual OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night, always a highlight of the summer in the Corvallis-Albany area. Get your tickets now, because it will sell out.

----------------------------

Our attendance has risen to 11,860 in 10 openings; that is 63 behind last year at this point. But we'd already had the popular ZOOperstars! at this point in 2013; their appearance this Friday should give us a boost and put us ahead of last year, when we drew a franchise-record 43,529.

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Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs for the second game in a row in a 12-3 win over Hickory on Wednesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in a 4-2 win over Akron.

* Springfield (AA Texas, Cardinals) pitcher Sam Gaviglio (2009) allowed two runs and had five strikeouts in 5.2 innings and got a no-decision in a 7-4 loss to Corpus Christi.

* Eugene (A Northwest, Padres) pitcher Max Beatty (2010-12) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and had two strikeouts in a 1-0 loss to Tri-City.

* Johnson City (R Appalachian, Cardinals) outfielder Blake Drake (2013) was 2-for-4 and scored twice in a 9-4 win over Bristol.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

WENATCHEE: Alum Marco Gonzales of Gonzaga made his major-league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. See you at the ballpark tonight, and back with the Blog on Friday.


Chris Rabago signs with Rockies

June 25, 2014

Happy Wednesday, everyone.

Another tough night in Wenatchee on Tuesday. Our 3-0 loss gave the AppleSox a series victory and snapped our streak of consecutive series wins at four in a row.

The series concludes at 7:05 tonight. Angel Landazuri (0-0, 3.85) of UC Riverside is the scheduled starter for the Knights.

We head home after tonight's game and will host the Mid-Valley Rockets American Legion team at 6:40 p.m. Thursday in the opener of a 7-game homestand that features a return visit from the AppleSox this Friday-Sunday and then three games with Medford.

It is a Block 15 Thursday and $1 hot dog night. It's also COUNTRY Financial Mini Bat Night; the first 250 fans get mini bats.

On Friday, the ZOOperstars! return to Goss Stadium. Don't miss those hilarious inflatable characters, who have become a Corvallis favorite.

On Saturday, help us celebrate 25 seasons of Knights Baseball on Nike Night. The first 1,000 kids through the gates get a Nike t-shirt. Wear the swoosh and get a raffle ticket for a chance to win cool Nike prizes during the game. We will also recognize Knights' alums in our pre-game ceremonies.

Sunday is HOPE Night presented by 107.9 FM on June 29.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.

----------------------------

Our story on new Kelowna coach Billy Clontz,, a Corvallis native and a former Knights' player and assistant coach, is now up on our home page. Please click here to read it.

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UC Irvine shortstop Chris Rabago (2012-13) has signed with the Colorado Rockies, who selected him in the 13th round (383rd overall) of the recent MLB draft. He has not yet been assigned to a minor-league affiliate team. Rabago won the Joe Segel Hustle Award in both of his seasons with the Knights and was rated as the No. 25 WCL prospect by Perfect Game in 2013.

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Alum pitcher Dylan Stuart (2011-12) has been assigned to the Gulf Coast League Braves by Atlanta. He signed with the Braves as an undrafted free agent. He played at UC Riverside.

Alum Kavin Keyes (2013) of Oregon State has signed with the Seattle Mariners, who selected him in the 39th round of the MLB draft. He has not yet been assigned to an affiliate team.

------------------------------------------------

Cal Poly freshman pitcher Slater Lee will not be joining us as expected, as he's been shut down for the summer. He was named the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 17-23 for a two-hit shutout of defending NCAA champion UCLA, and was 3-2, 6.20 in 14 games, with 34 strikeouts in 49.1 innings overall.

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Our attendance has risen to 11,860 in 10 openings, 63 behind last year at this point. But we'd already had the popular ZOOperstars! at this point in 2013; their appearance this Friday should give us a boost and put us ahead of last year, when we drew a franchise-record 43,529.

--------------------------------

Binghamton (AA Eastern, Mets) pitcher Greg Peavey (2007) allowed no runs and four hits, had five strikeouts and got the win in a 2-0 victory over Reading on Tuesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 3-for-5 with a three-run homer in an 11-10 loss to Hickory.

* Vermont (A New York-Penn, Athletics) pitcher AJ Burke (2012) had three strikeouts in 3.1 scoreless innings but was not involved in the decision in a 5-4 loss to Tri-City. Outfielder Dayton Alexander (2011) was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI for Vermont.

* Great Falls (A Pioneer, White Sox) pitcher Jace Fry (2011) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and got the win in a 6-5 victory over Billings.

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Here is our weekly "Knights in the Pros" update:

DAYTON ALEXANDER (A Vermont, A's): The outfielder from Feather River JC (2011) is hitting .235 (8-34) in nine games, with no homers and two RBIs.

JIMMY ALLEN (A Ogden, Dodgers): The second baseman from Cal Poly (2011) is hitting .333 (3-9) in three games, with two RBIs.

BO ALTOBELLI (A Cedar Rapids, Twins): The catcher from Texas Tech (2010) is hitting .216 (27-155) in 37 games, with no homers and four RBIs.

DAVID ANDRIESE (A Jamestown, Pirates): The outfielder from UC Riverside (2010-11) is hitting .188 (3-16) in five games, with no homers and one RBI.

DAVID ARMENDARIZ (A ARL Indians, Indians): The outfielder from Cal Poly Pomona (2011) is hitting .444 (4-9) in two games with the Arizona Rookie League Indians, with one RBI.

ALEX BURG (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The catcher/outfielder from Washington State (2008) is hitting .268 (44-164) in 51 games, with five homers and 22 RBIs.

BLAKE DRAKE (A Johnson City, Cardinals): The outfielder from Concordia (2013) is hitting .412 (7-17) in five games, with no homers and three RBIs.

MATT DUFFY (AA Richmond, Giants): The shortstop from Long Beach State (2010) is hitting .340 (90-265) in 69 games, with two homers and 45 RBIs.

GRANT FINK (A Lake County, Indians): The third baseman from Missouri Western (2011) is hitting .242 (57-236) in 67 games, with five homers and 30 RBIs.

ROCKY GALE (AAA El Paso, Padres): The catcher from Portland (2007, 2009) is hitting .286 (22-77) in 30 games, with 15 RBIs.

DREW GARCIA (AAA Colorado Springs, Rockies): The second baseman from UC Riverside (2007) is hitting .235 (44-187) in 59 games, with four homers and 26 RBIs.

RYAN GORTON (A Stockton, A's): The catcher from Oregon State (2011) is hitting .163 (8-49) in 14 games, with no homers and one RBI.

CADE GOTTA (A Gulf Coast League Rays, Rays): The outfielder from San Diego Christian (2011) is hitting .182 (2-11) in three games, with no homers and two RBIs.

DEAN GREEN (AA Erie, Tigers): The first baseman from Oklahoma State/Barry University (2008) is hitting .276 (50-181) in 53 games, with three homers and 21 RBIs.

MITCH HANIGER (AA Huntsville, Brewers): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2010) is hitting .263 (62-236) in 65 games, with 10 homers and 34 RBIs.

DANNY HAYES (A Kannapolis, White Sox): The first baseman from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .292 (69-236) in 68 games, with four homers and 32 RBIs.

KAVIN KEYES (Mariners): The infielder from Oregon State (2013) has not yet been assigned to an affiliate team.

ADAM MELKER (AA Arkansas, Angels): The outfielder from Cal Poly is hitting .243 (41-169) in 46 games, with two homers and 17 RBIs.

BRENT MOREL (AAA Indianapolis, Pirates): The third baseman from Cal Poly (2007) is hitting .218 (43-197) in 55 games, with two homers and 26 RBIs.

JIM MURPHY (AAA Lehigh Valley, Phillies): The first baseman from Washington State (2007) is hitting .230 (57-248) in 71 games, with nine homers and 32 RBIs.

CHRIS RABAGO (A Rockies): The shortstop from UC Irvine (2012-13) has not yet been assigned to an affiliate team.

JAKE RODRIGUEZ (A Quad City, Astros): The catcher from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .143 (6-42) in 13 games, with no homers and one RBI.

ANDREW SUSAC (AAA Fresno, Giants): The catcher from Oregon State (2009) is hitting .270 (38-141) in 41 games, with six homers and 22 RBIs.

JUSTIN VIELE (A Aberdeen, Orioles): The shortstop from Santa Clara (2010) is hitting .207 (6-29) in nine games, with no homers and two RBIs.

TYLER ANDERSON (AA Tulsa, Rockies): The pitcher from Oregon (2009) is 3-3, 3.07 in 12 games, with 47 strikeouts in 55.2 innings.

MATT ANDRIESE (AAA Durham, Rays): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2009) is 6-4, 3.56 in 15 games, with 70 strikeouts in 83.1 innings.

MAX BEATTY (A Eugene, Padres): The pitcher from Pacific Lutheran (2010-12) is 0-0, 0.00 in three games, with five strikeouts in 4.1innings.

MATT BOYD (A Dunedin, Blue Jays): The pitcher from Oregon State (2010) is 5-1, 0.94 in 10 games, with 67 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.

A.J. BURKE (A Vermont, A's): The pitcher from Western Oregon (2012) is 1-0, 1.35 in three games, with 14 strikeouts in 13.1 innings.

TREVOR FRANK (A Lake County, Indians): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2012) is 3-2, 3.07 in 25 games, with five saves and 26 strikeouts in 29.2 innings.

JACE FRY (A Great Falls, White Sox): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 1-0, 0.00 in two games, with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.

SAM GAVIGLIO (AA Springfield, Cardinals): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 3-8, 5.30 in 14 games, with 69 strikeouts in 74.2 innings.

JUSTIN HEPNER (Gulf Coast League Marlins, Marlins): The pitcher from San Diego State (2011) is 0-0, 16.88 in two games, with no strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

CHASE JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Cal Poly (2011) is 1-5, 5.33 in 13 games, with 47 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

CHRIS JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Portland (2011) is 0-1, 9.00 in one game, with no strikeouts in two innings. He is on the 7-day disabled list.

KYLE KRAUS (A Salem, Red Sox): The pitcher from Portland (2009-10) is 3-3, 5.52 in 14 games, with a save and 31 strikeouts in 45.2 innings.

SCOTT LYMAN (A Jupiter, Marlins): The pitcher from UC Davis (2010) is 3-6, 2.65 in 13 games, with 53 strikeouts in 74.2 innings.

GREG MAHLE (A Orem, Angels): The pitcher from UC Santa Barbara (2012) is 1-0, 0.00 in three games, with six strikeouts in four innings.

JAMES NYGREN (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 0-2, 4.73 in 18 games, with a save and 21 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.

JOSH OSICH (AA Richmond, Giants): The pitcher from Oregon State (2008) is 0-0, 6.50 in 18 games, with 16 strikeouts in 18 innings.

GREG PEAVEY (AA Binghamton, Mets): The pitcher from Oregon State (2007) is 6-1, 2.86 in 10 games, with 52 strikeouts in 63 innings.

SCOTT SCHULTZ (A Hillsboro, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 0-0, 0.00 in two games, with three strikeouts in seven innings.

JIMMIE SHERFY (AA Mobile, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon (2011) is 1-0, 6.19 in 16 games, with a save and 22 strikeouts in 16 innings.

NICK STRUCK (AA Chattanooga, Dodgers): The pitcher from Mt. Hood CC (2009) is 1-4, 7.809 in 10 games, with 29 strikeouts in 45 innings.

DYLAN STUART (Gulf Coast League Braves, Braves): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2011-12) is 0-0, 6.75 in one appearance, with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

BEN WETZLER (Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) has yet to be assigned an affiliate team.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

YAKIMA: The Poppins will broadcast home games from several different locations at Yakima County Stadium this season. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. Tune into tonight's game on KEJO-AM 1240 if you can't be in Wenatchee, and we will see you at the ballpark on Thursday.


Dane Lund profiled in Corvallis Gazette-Times

June 24, 2014

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Tough Monday night in Wenatchee, where a lot of teams struggle to win because the AppleSox are consistently a good team. After a 5-4 loss we must win tonight and on Wednesday if we hope to extend our streak of consecutive series wins to five in a row.

The series resumes at 7:05 p.m. today. Angel Landazuri (0-0, 3.85) of UC Riverside is the scheduled starter for the Knights, opposed by Brandon Bailey (0-0, 0.00) of Gonzaga in a matchup of freshmen right-handers.

We head home after Wednesday night's series finale and we will host the Mid-Valley Rockets American Legion team at 6:40 p.m. Thursday in the opener of a 7-game homestand that features a return visit from the AppleSox this Friday-Sunday and then three games with Medford.

Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which, by the way, has a great new website for you to bookmark.

----------------------------

Good story on Knights' veteran Dane Lund by Kevin Hampton in today's Corvallis Gazette-Times. Please click here to read the story.

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The Huntsville Stars (Brewers) of the double-A Southern League have placed outfielder Mitch Haniger (2010) on the disabled list after he hyperextended his elbow during a swing. The 2012 supplemental first-rounder from Cal Poly, the 2012 Big West Conference Player of the Year, had been finding his swing, batting .333/.380/.591 with seven homers in his past 25 games.

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Our attendance has risen to 11,860 in 10 openings; that is 63 behind last year at this point. But we'd already had the popular ZOOperstars! at this point in 2013; their appearance this Friday should give us a boost and put us ahead of last year, when we drew a franchise-record 43,529.

--------------------------------

Lehigh Valley (AAA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy 92007) was 3-for-4 with a homer, a double, two runs and an RBI in a 7-4 loss to Columbus on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Honorable mention goes to:

* Indianapolis (AAA International, Pirates) third baseman Brent Morel (2007) was 2-for-4 in a 5-3 loss to Norfolk.

* Colorado Springs (AAA Pacific Coast, Rockies) second baseman Drew Garcia (2007) was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in a 6-4 win over Reno.

* Jamestown (A New York-Penn, Pirates) outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) was 2-for-3 in an 8-5 loss to Williamsville.

* Arizona Rookie League Indians (Indians) outfielder David Armendariz (2011) was 2-for-4 in a 9-1 loss to the ARL Brewers.

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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:

BEND: Here's a nice story from the Bend Bulletin newspaper on new Elks' coach Marty Hunter, the George Fox head coach and the father of 2009 Knights' infielder Taylor Hunter.

VICTORIA: The HarbourCats lead the early attendance race in the WCL. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website. And, alum Alex Real (2013) of New Mexico has signed with the Twins and turned pro. Here is more on that story, also from the Our Sports Central website.

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That is it for today. Tune into tonight's game on KEJO-AM 1240 if you can't be in Wenatchee, and we will see you in Wednesday.