Friday at the Blog

We're wrapping up the work week down here at the Knights' WWHQ with our final blog of the week. Lots of news pertaining to the Knights and from around the WCL.

First, an update. We open three weeks from tonight (21 days), in Walla Walla against the Sweets. Ticket sales for that series and for other Sweets' games are apparently very brisk; Walla Walla led the WCL in attendance in 2010, its first year in the league.

And it's 25 days until the June 7 home opener, against the Klamath Falls Gems. Our sales are going well too, but there's always room for more.

A few things to remember:

* We're hosting a remote broadcast of the Joe Beaver Show from noon until 2 p.m. Wednesday at the WWHQ. We'll have some hot dogs, specials on merchandise, and lots of info about the Knights.

* The June 9 game against Klamath Falls has been cancelled, to avoid a potential conflict with a possible NCAA Super Regional at Goss Stadium, and rescheduled as part of a July 28 doubleheader. Tickets for June 9 or July 28 are good for both games.

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Heres's a nice story from the Toronto Sun on ex-Knights pitcher Marc Rzepczynski (2006), who is making his mark in the Blue Jays' bullpen. Here's the most important part, a quote from manager John Farrell:

"His velocity has climbed and he's got multiple weapons to get both left- and right-hand hitters out. We can put him in there against anyone."

He's 2-0, 2.60 in 18 games, with 18 strikeouts and only five walks in 17.1 innings.

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Now, a rundown on our former Knights in the minor leagues:

DREW GARCIA (2007, White Sox): The 2B from UC Riverside is hitting .246 (28-114) in 32 games at double-A Birmingham in the Southern League, with two homers and 17 RBIs.

NICK STRUCK (2009, Cubs): The Mt. Hood CC righty is 4-2, 4.00 in seven games at Daytona of the single-A Florida State League, with 33 strikeouts in 36 innings.

JIM MURPHY (2007, Phillies): Our 2007 MVP as a first baseman from Washington State is at Lakewood in the Florida State League and is hitting .252 (29-115) in 32 games, with 10 homers and 23 RBIs.

ADAM MELKER (2008, 2009, Cardinals): The ex-Cal Poly outfielder is with the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League and is hitting .187 (14-75) in 23 games, with no homers and seven RBIs.

ROCKY GALE (2007, 2009, Padres): The catcher from the University of Portland was 0-for-12 with the Fort Wayne Tin Caps in the Midwest League and is 3-for-21 (.143) with no homers and two RBIs in seven games at Lake Elsinore in the California League in two Class A stops.

NICK AKINS (2007, Dodgers): The former Vanguard College infielder is hitting .220 (26-118) with the Great Lakes Loons in the Class A Midwest League, with six homers and 24 RBIs in 32 games.

GREG PEAVEY (2007, Mets): The one-time Oregon State pitcher is 2-1, 3.00 in seven games at Class A Savannah in the Sally League, with 36 strikeouts in 36 innings.

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Some news from around the WCL:

BELLINGHAM: The Bells have signed three new players for the 2011 season: Danny Poplawski and Jack Vinder Linden of Georgetown and Tyler Spear of Niagara.

COWLITZ: The Black Bears have signed five more players for 2011, according to the Longview Daily News. They are right-handed pitcher Jake Doller, catcher Chase Graskewicz and first baseman/outfielder Matt Giller of Kansas State, and right-hander Ryan Yuengel and lefty Ian Ekery of Missouri.

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed Southwestern Oklahoma State pitcher Ryan Patterson, Mesa College (San Diego) middle infielder Victor Rasor-Thompson and Poway (Calif.) High middle infielder Connor Joe, a University of San Diego commit, for the 2011 season.

KITSAP: The BlueJackets have restored their web page, which was down for several months after being hacked. Check it out.

WALLA WALLA: WCL president Ken Wilson was the guest speaker at the Sweets' Hot Stove League Event at a local brewpub.

And here are 10 more things to know about Sweets' baseball, a recurring feature on the team's website.

WENATCHEE: The AppleSox have filled their 2011 roster with the commitments of six players: Kentucky-left handed pitcher Alex Phillips; Pacific Lutheran first baseman Brock Gates; Pomona-Pitzer outfielder Erik Munzer; Los Angeles Pierce College catcher Travis Forbes; Lewis-Clark State catcher Aaron DeGuire, and Paradise Valley Community College right-handed pitcher Jackson Goulder.

Here are all the details from the AppleSox website.

That should do it for today. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you on Monday.

Knights add Fink, Scott

The first two weeks of the season are always a challenge for the Knights and other WCL teams. Many of their anticipated regulars are still playing in the NCAA tournament, or have academic commitments that preventing them from joining their respective teams on opening day.

But every game counts the same in the standings so it's important we field a competitive team every night. With that in mind, we've signed two more area players to 10-day contracts to strengthen our early-season roster.

The newest Knights are University of Portland outfielder Kramer Scott, and Mt. Hood CC infielder Grant Fink.

Scott is a 6-foot, 195-pound junior from Woodway High School in Edmonds, Wash. He'll earn his third letter this season and is hitting .291, with a homer and 13 RBIs, in 39 games, 36 of which he's started.

Fink is a 6-3, 205-pound sophomore 1B/3B from Mead High School in Spokane, also the alma mater of Knights outfielder Nate Blackham of Washington State. Fink is hitting .317 in 32 games, with three homers and 27 RBIs.

They'll join the club for the first three series, against Walla Walla (June 3-5), Klamath Falls (June 7-8) and Bend (June 10-12).

And it's not unprecedented for a 10-game signee to stick for the whole season. That's how infielder Josh Hogan, (2007-09) one of the all-time great Knights, got his foot in the door in 2007.

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There's a story on our projected opening-night starting pitcher,University of Portland junior Chris Johnson, on our home page. It's good reading about a guy who's excited to be a Corvallis Knight.

Enjoy!

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And speaking of things to enjoy, check out this Knights' video created by Connor Bildfell, a Corvallis native who is one of our outstanding interns this summer.

That should help get you fired up for the 2011 season, which starts in 22 days with our June 3 opener at Walla Walla against the Sweets.

Our home opener is just 26 days away, June 7 against Klamath Falls. And don't forget our June 9 game has been cancelled, and rescheduled as part of a July 28 doubleheader. Tickets for either night are good for the July 28 twin bill. Our

June 9 game rescheduled

Several items of note on a hump day in downtown Corvallis.

The Knights have cancelled our June 9 home game with the Klamath Falls Gems to prevent a conflict with a possible NCAA Super Regional at Goss Stadium, president Dan Segel announced Wednesday.

It has been rescheduled as part of a July 28 doubleheader with the Gems, starting at 6:05 p.m. Season-ticket holders should use the July 28 ticket, which is good for both games.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but we always work with the Beavers and now no one has to worry about any conflicts if they advance that far.

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Also, auditions for people or groups interested in singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" before selected home games will be held at 6 p.m. May 24 at the Knights' offices, in the Madison Plaza building in downtown Corvallis.

The Canadian national anthem will also be performed before the July 16-17 games against the Kelowna Falcons.

Individuals, and small groups that can fit around a single, hand-held microphone, are encouraged to audition. For questions or more information, contact Knights' director of public relations Brooks Hatch at [email protected]

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Somehow we overlooked this last week, so we'll make amends today.

Former Knights pitcher Sam Gaviglio (2009), a junior at Oregon State, is one of 25 players nationwide who were named the watch list for the Pitcher of the Year Award, given by the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

It's college baseball's version of the Cy Young Award, and will be presented on July 3 in Lubbock, Texas as part of the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions.

The watch list was announced last Friday, the same day he pitched 6.1 shutout innings in a 3-0 victory over California at Goss Stadium. Gaviglio is 9-1, with a 1.85 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 87.1 innings.

He's also a two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week and was named the Golden Spikes Spotlight Player of the Week after throwing a one-hitter at Long Beach State on March 18.

So, congrats to Sam.

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We just finished meeting with the good folks at Corvallis Community Access TV, Comcast channel 29, and it sounds as if they'll be televising four games this season on tape-delay.

The preliminary plans are to broadcast the June 24 game with Walla Walla; the July 3 Fireworks Night game with Bend; the July 16 San Diego Chicken Night game against Kelowna, and the July 26 WCL All-Star Game.

The games will be televised several days later in prime time, and then several times in the afternoon on subsequent days.

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Some other Knights-related news as we hit day 23 in countdown to our June 3 opener in Walla Walla against the Sweets, and day 27 in our countdown to our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems (all the players mentioned will be 2011 Knights):

* David Armendariz and Jimmy Allen were a combined 0-for-3 and pitcher Chase Johnson threw .1 innings of scoreless relief in an 11-1 loss at St. Mary's.

* Oregon pitcher Jimmie Sherfy gave up four runs (two earned) in an inning of relief in a 10-5 win over Seattle at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. Infielder Nate Roberts didn't play for the Redhawks, and outfielder Connor Hofmann didn't play for the Ducks.

* San Diego State pitcher Justin Hepner gave up four runs on six hits in a start against Cal State-Northridge. SDSU rallied to win 6-5, however.

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Well have more Knights news, and some updates from around the WCL, in Thursday's blog.

Knights honored by Northwest Conference

It's always nice to report good news and we've got more cheer to spread today.

Four players with connections to the Knights earned Northwest Conference postseason honors on Monday, when that league released its 2011 all-star team.

* Pitcher Brian Ranta of George Fox, a 10-day signee, was a first-team all-star. He was 8-2, 2.40 in 14 games, with 68 strikeouts in 93.2 innings.

* Second baseman Corey Moore of Pacific Lutheran was a second-team all-star. He hit .306 (48-157) in 39 games, with two homers and 24 RBIs.

* PLU pitcher Max Beatty, a returnee from the 2010 Knights, earned honorable mention. He was 5-4, 3.75 in 13 games, with 60 strikeouts in 81.2 innings.

* And GFU outfielder Dan Winterstein, who played one game for the 2009 Knights as an emergency replacement, was a first-team selection.

Congrats to all four players, and we'll see Ranta, Beatty and Moore in a mere 24 days, on June 3 when we open the 2011 season at Walla Walla.

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We've posted a story about Oregon Styate pitcher Ben Wetzler, a 2011 Knight, on our website. He should be a great addition to our club.

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Here's a rundown on the progress of our NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and JC players:

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO: Pitcher Tyler Duffin is 1-4, 7.01 in 25.2 innings over 19 games, with 29 strikeouts. CSI was 4-0 at Colorado Northwestern CC last weekend; it begins the Region 18 playoffs on Wednesday.

CONCORDIA: Infielder Sean Myrom, a 10-game signee, hit .278 (37-133) with five homers and 20 RBIs for the Cavaliers, who finished their season at 17-30.

FEATHER RIVER: Outfielder Dayton Alexander hit .385 (57-148) in 37 games, with four homers and 24 RBIs. Catcher Jaret Bogue hit .447 (51-114), with five homers and 48 RBIs, in 29 games. FRC was eliminated from the California JC playoffs with two losses to Sacramento City College last weekend.

HAWAII PACIFIC: Pitcher Taylor Hill , a 10-day signee, went 1-1, 4.64 in 21.1 innings over 10 games, with 16 strikeouts. HPU's season is over.

MT. HOOD: Pitcher Nate Dolman is 4-2, 4.67 in 27 innings in seven games, with 12 strikeouts. Pitcher Matt Pechmann is 1-1, 2.28 in 27.2 innings over seven games, with 26 strikeouts. Outfielder Matt Nylen, a 10-game signee, is hitting .338 (27-80), with three homers and 16 RBIs in 24 games.

The Saints play a doubleheader with Chemeketa today and a twin bill with SWOCC on Saturday.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Pitcher Max Beatty went 5-4, 3.75 in 13 gamnes, with 60 strikeouts in 81.2 innings. Infielder Corey Moore hit .306 (48-157) in 39 games, with two homers and 24 RBIs. Shortstop Nicholas Hall, a 10-game signee, hit .255 (27-106) in 33 games, with no homers and 15 RBIs.

The Lutes were 1-2 at the Inland Cellular Tournament at Lewiston, Idaho, last weekend; they finished 19-20.

REDLANDS: Pitcher Kyle Hart is 8-2, 3.74 in 16 games, with 79 strikeouts in 84.1 innings. Redlands lost 2 of 3 to Chapman last weekend to finish the regular season; it starts the NCAA Division III playofoffs on May 18.

RIVERSIDE CC: Pitcher Kyle McNutt lost to Santa Barbara in the second game of the Southern California Baseball Regional Tournament. Infielder Nic Cuckovikch was a combined 4-for-14 (.286) in the series, with two doubles and an RBI.

Santa Barbara eliminated Riverside from the Southern California Baseball Regional Tournament by winning a best-of-3 series 2-1.

WESTERN OREGON: Infielder Griffin Boyd, a 10-day signee and 2010 Knight, is hitting .308 (49-159) in 45 games, with a homer and 26 RBIs.

The Wolves went 3-1 against Northwest Nazarene last weekend; they close the regular season with home doubleheaders against Montana State-Billings this Friday and Saturday.

GEORGE FOX: Pitcher Brian Ranta, a 10-day signee, is 8-2, 2.40 in 14 games, with 68 strikeouts in 93.2 innings.

The Bruins were 1-2 at the Inland Cellular Tournament at Lewiston, Idaho, last weekend and finished with a 26-13 record.

Big game by Ben Wetzler

Oregon State defeated California 4-2 at Goss Stadium on Sunday to win its sixth consecutive Pacific-10 Conference series. Left-handed pitcher Ben Wetzler, a 2011 Corvallis Knight, played a huge role in the victory.

The freshman from Clackamas High allowed just one run on four hits over seven innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks. He allowed a leadoff homer and a two-out single in the first inning, and then shut the Bears down on two hits over the next six innings.

"Ben settled down and threw very well after the game-opening home run," OSU coach Pat Casey said. "Wetzler, being a freshman pitching in this environment, with what's on the line, was big."

Wetzler is now 6-2, 3.76 in 13 games, with a save and 41 strikeouts in 55 innings.

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Great news from the West Coast Conference. Ex-Knights star Kyle Kraus (2009-10) of the Portland Pilots was named the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

A junior right-hander from West Linn, Kraus had his third straight quality start by pitching 8.1 innings and picking up the win during an 8-3 win over St. Mary's on May 6.

He had eight strikeouts and no walks. It was Kraus' second straight win and his third straight outing of at least eight innings. He now has 18 career wins, tied for No. 6 in school history.

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We're entering the final stretch of the off-season. Yes, it still feels like March outside, but there are only 25 more days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, and just 29 days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against Klamath Falls.

Remember, tickets and merchandise are available here at the WWHQ in Madison Plaza in beautiful downtown Corvallis, or at our website.

Also, don't forget the popular Joe Beaver Talk Show will do a remote broadcast on KEJO-AM 1240 from the WWHQ from noon until 2 p.m. at the WWHQ.

Co-hosts Jon Warren and Mike Parker, the radio voice of the Knights, will be talkin' Knights baseball. So come on down and see us.

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Here's our weekly update on the 2011 Division I Knights:

OREGON STATE: Pitcher Scott Schultz is 2-0, 3.15 in 34.1 innings over 13 games. We've already covered Wetzler; pitcher Tom Zarosinski hasn't played yet.

The Beavers lost a nonleague game to Oregon and took 2 of 3 against California last week. They host Portland on Tuesday and head to Washington this weekend.

OREGON: Outfielder Connor Hofmann is hitting .219 (7-32) with four RBIs in 20 games. Pitcher Jimmie Sherfy is 0-0, 81.00 in .1 innings in his lone appearance.

Neither played last week, when Oregon defeated OSU but lost three straight to UCLA. Oregon plays Seattle in Tacoma on Tuesday and in Seattle on Wednesday, and hosts Stanford on Friday-Sunday.

CAL POLY: Outfielder Jimmy Allen is hitting .207 (19-92) in 33 games, with no homers and 11 RBIs. Infielder David Armendariz is hitting .155 (9-58) with a homer and four RBIs in 25 games. Pitcher Chase Johnson is 1-5, 4.15 in 11 games, with 27 strikeouts in 41 innings.

The Mustangs play at St. Mary's on Tuesday and host UC Davis this weekend. They defeated St. Mary's, and then were 1-2 vs. UC Irvine last weekend.

DELAWARE: Pitcher Eric Young left last Friday's game against ODU with a 5-1 lead but the bullpen imploded and he had a no-decision in az 7-5 loss. EY is 5-2, 4.18 in 12 games, with 36 strikeouts in 68 innings.

Delaware lost all three to ODU last weekend. It hosts Maryland on Tuesday and Temple on Wednesday before heading to Northeastern this weekend for its final CAA series of the season.

HAWAII: Outfielder Michael Blake is hitting .244 (32-131) in 40 games, with no homers and 23 RBIs. He's 0-0, 2.57 in seven innings in eight games as a situational reliever.

Hawaii took 3 of 4 at Nevada last weekend. It hosts San Jose State for a single game Thursday, a doubleheader on Friday and another single game on Sunday.

SANTA CLARA: Pitcher Chris Mendoza is 3-5, 4.35 in 49.2 innings over 16 games. The Broncos lost to Cal and took 2 of 3 at Pepperdine last week; it plays at UC Davis on Wednesday and is idle this weekend.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Pitcher Justin Hepner is 0-0, 5.06 in 5.1 innings over four appearances, with four strikeouts. The Aztecs lost to Long Beach State and dropped 2 of 3 at Utah last weekend. They play Cal State Northridge on Tuesday and BYU on Thursday-Saturday at SDSU.

SEATTLE: Infielder Nate Roberts is hitting .172 (15-87) with a homer and eight RBIs in 30 games. He did not play last week, when Seattle defeated Utah Valley twice but lost three at BYU.

The Redhawks play Oregon at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma on Tuesday and face the Ducks in Seattle on Wednesday. They host Pacific this weekend.

UC IRVINE: Pitcher Nick Hoover is 2-4, 3.69 in 32.2 innings over 20 games, with 21 strikeouts. Pitcher Sebastian Santos threw a scoreless inning in his lone appearance.

The Anteaters defeated Pepperdine and were 2-1 vs. Cal Poly last weekend. They play at UC Santa Barbara this weekend.

UC RIVERSIDE: Outfielder David Andriese is hitting .313 (45-144) in 39 games, with four homers and 25 RBIs. Pitcher Dylan Stuart is 1-1, 1.48 in 24.1 innings over 14 games, with 26 strikeouts. Reliever Mitch Patito is 1-3, 3.86 in 17 games, with six saves and 23 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

Riverside defeated USC but was swept by Cal State Fullerton last week. It plays at San Diego on Tuesday and at Cal State Northridge this Friday-Sunday.

PORTLAND: Pitcher Chris Johnson is 2-4, 3.41 in 11 games, with 46 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. He lost a 1-0 decision to St. Mary's last weekend, when the Pilots took 2 of 3 from the Gaels.

Portland's scheduled Monday game with Washington State was rained out. It plays at OSU on Tuesday and hosts Gonzaga this weekend.

WRIGHT STATE: Catcher Corey Davis is hitting .292 (48-161) in 42 games, with eight homers and 33 RBIs.

The Raiders defeated Cincinnati and took 2 of 3 against Valparaiso last weekend. They play at Bowling Green on Wednesday, and doubleheaders at Cleveland State on Saturday and at Youngstown State on Sunday.

WASHINGTON STATE: Outfielder Nate Blackham is hitting .308 (8-26) with two RBIs in 26 games. Infielder J.K. Dykes is redshirting.

The Cougars lost 2 of 3 to UNLV last weekend. Today's game at Portland was washed out; they host Arizona this Friday-Sunday.

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We'll update the stats of our NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and JC players on Tuesday.

Redlands pitcher Kyle Hart honored

More good news for the 2011 Knights on the postseason honors front.

Redlands pitcher Kyle Hart was named a first-team Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) all-star on Thursday.

A sophomore from Burbank, Hart was 8-2, 3.56, with 76 strikeouts in 78.1 innings over 12 games.

Congrats to Kyle, whose team completes the regular season this weekend with three games against Chapman.

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Former Knights' pitcher Matt Boyd (2010) is profiled in this story in this story on the OSU bullpen in Friday's Corvallis Gazette-Times.

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A few reminders as the season draws closer:

* The popular Joe Beaver Radio Show on KEJO-AM 1240, the Knights' home station, will hold a remote broadcast at the Knights World-Wide Headquarters (the WWHQ) in Madison Plaza in beautiful downtown Corvallis from noon until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18.

Knights' play-by-play voice Mike Parker and Jon Warren will co-host the show. It should be a fun time, so make sure to stop by.

* We're down to 28 days to go before our June 3 opener in Walla Walla, and only 32 more days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems.

So come see us at the WWHQ and get your tickets. Our opening-night record crowd is 822 and we'd love to smash that standard this season.

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Here's some news from around the WCL:

COWLITZ: The Black Bears have signed right-handed pitcher/infielder Kevin Berry, right-handed pitcher/infielder Kirk Cunningham and infielder Beau Didier, the son of former major-league catcher Bob Didier.

Here are the details from the Black Bears' website.

Bogue, Alexander honored

Great news to report today on two 2011 Knights from Feather River College in Quincy, Calif.

Sophomore catcher Jaret Bogue was named the Golden Valley Conference Player of the Year, and sophomore outfielder Dayton Alexander was named a first-team GVC all-star and a first-team GVC academic all-star earlier this week.

Bogue hit .455, with five homers and 48 RBIs in 29 games. Alexander hit .382, with four homers and 24 RBIs, in 36 games. Congrats to both players!

FRC hosts Sacramento City College this Friday and Saturday in a best-of-3 series in the first round of the state playoffs.

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Former Knights' pitcher Matt Andriese of UC Riverside, a 2009 WCL all-star and the older brother of current Knight David Andriese, recently had a streak of 27.1 consecutive scoreless innings for the Highlanders.

It's the longest such streak in the Big West Conference since former Long Beach State/current Los Angeles Angels star Jared Weaver compiled a 29-inning scoreless streak in 2004.

Matt Andriese is 3-3, 2.33 in 10 games, with 54 strikeouts in 69.2 innings. Matt was also named a UCR Good Sport of the Month.

The UCR staff is replete with Knights connections. Eddie Orozco (2008-09) is 3-1, 2.41; Dustin Emmons (2009-10) is 5-2, 5.23, with one save; Mitch Patito (2010-11) is 1-3, 3.63, with six saves, and Dylan Stuart (2011) is 1-1, 1.54.

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Oregon State righty Sam Gaviglio, another 2009 Knight, was one of 23 additions to the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced Wednesday.

The watch list includes 60 collegiate players across the country. Twenty-three players were added after 13 were removed from the preseason watch list.

The Golden Spikes Award is given annually at the end of each season to the nation's top collegiate player. The 2011 honor will be announced on Friday, July 15 on the MLB Network.

Gaviglio is a two-time Pacific-10 Conference Pitcher of the Week and is 8-1, 2.00 heading into Friday's scheduled start against No. 21 California at Goss Stadium.

Ex-Knight Tyler Anderson (2009), a junior lefty from Oregon, is also on the list. He's 6-1, 1.51 heading into a Friday Night start against UCLA in Eugene.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

COWLITZ: The Black Bears have signed right-handed pitcher Stuart Fewel and shortstop Brent Graham of Lower Columbia College for 2011.

Fewel was an Oregon State redshirt in 2010 before transfering to LCC for the 2011 season. Here are the details of the signings, as reported by the Longview Daily News.

One Month and Counting

Today's May 3, so that means it's only one month and counting - 30 days, to be exact - before our June 3 opener in Walla Walla against the Sweets.

And if my math is correct, that means its only 34 days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems. So remember, tickets and merchandise are available in person at the WWHQ, or elsewhere on this website.

See you at the ballpark.

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Former Knights pitcher Josh Osich (2008) was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) National Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Osich was honored for his 2-0 no-hitter at UCLA this past Saturday, OSU's first complete-game no-hitter since 1947. He struck out 13, walked one, faced just 28 batters, improved his record to 6-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.88.

Osich's no-hitter was the first by a Pac-10 pitcher against a league opponent since Stanford's Jason Middlebrook no-hit UCLA in 1994. It is OSU's first since Mike Stutes, Jorge Reyes, Mark Grbavac and former Knight Josh Keller (2006) combined to no-hit Hawaii-Hilo in 2007.

(Grbavac, incidentally, is a cousin of 2011 Knights pitcher Tom Zarosinski, an OSU freshman.)

Osich was also named one of Louisville Slugger's National Players of the Week and the Pacific-10 Conference's Pitcher of the Week.

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Some of our 2011 Knights were in action on Tuesday night. Here's a rundown:

OREGON STATE: Pitcher Scott Schultz allowed one unearned run in four innings of relief in a 7-2 loss to Oregon. He struck out three.

CAL POLY: Outfielder Jimmy Allen was 0-for-1 in a 5-4 win over St. Mary's. Ex-Knight Mitch Haniger (2010) had three hits and two RBIs for the Mustangs.

SANTA CLARA: Pitcher Chris Mendoza threw two scoreless innings in a 4-1 loss to Cal. He struck out one and allowed one hit.

UC RIVERSIDE: Designated hitter David Andriese was 1-for-3 with two RBIs in a 10-6 win over USC. Ex-Knight Dustin Emmons (2009-10) was the winning pitcher.

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Here's some news from around the WCL:

BELLINGHAM: The new ownership of the Bells is upgrading historic Joe Martin Field to make it a more attractive venue. Here are some details from Ballpark Digest and here's a photo and a link to the story from the Bells' website.

BEND: The Elks will host the Riseisha College of Japan club on June 17 and 18 at Vince Genna Stadium. Riseisha College will be playing a series of games in the Northwest during June.

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed outfielder Cody Hough a freshman outfielder from UC Riverside. He's a native of Corona, Calif., who played at Santiago High School. Hough is hitting .091 (1-11) in five games this season. Here are more details from the Falcons' website.

WENATCHEE: The AppleSox have signed incoming Univertsity of San Diego infielders Andrew Daniel and Austin Bailey for the 2011 season.

Daniel plays at Rancho Bernardo High School. He was named the 2010 Palomar League Player of the Year and was a first-team Cal-Hi Sports All-State, All-North County and All-CIF San Diego Section all-star.

Bailey attends Great Oak High School in Temecula and was named the Southwestern League Most Valuable Player as a junior. The switch-hitter was the Southwestern League's batting champion after hitting .495 with four home runs, and 31 RBIs.

Here are more details from the AppleSox website.

WALLA WALLA: Here's the latest edition of "10 Things to Know About Sweets Baseball," a regular feature on their homepage.

Ex-Knight Osich to be honored tonight

Mr. No-hitter, former Corvallis Knights pitcher Josh Osich, (2008) will be honored tonight for last Saturday's no-no at UCLA prior to the Oregon State-Oregon game at Goss Stadium.

The short ceremony will start at approximately 5:25 p.m., or about 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the non-conference Civil War game.

A redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher from Boise, Osich became the first OSU pitcher to record a complete-game no-hitter since 1947. He's also the first Pacific-10 Conference pitcher to throw a no-hitter against a league opponent since Stanford's Jason Middlebrook did it against UCLA in 1994.

Osich was also the Knights' groundskeeper in 2009 and 2010, along with OSU/2008 Knights teammate/closer Taylor Starr.

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The Knights have released Portland sophomore outfielder Nick Armenta, a 10-game contract signee from Clovis, Calif.

Armenta hit .263 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 46 games, made the WCC's all- freshman team and was an honorable-mention all-star in 2010, but he's been limited to one game and no at-bats this year by injuries.

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Here's a rundown on the progress of our NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and JC players:

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO: Pitcher Tyler Duffin is 1-4, 7.40 in 24.1 innings over 18 games, with 25 strikeouts. CSI was 0-4 against Western Nevada last weekend; it plays doubleheaders at Colorado Northwestern CC this Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA: Infielder Sean Myrom, a 10-game signee, hit .278 (37-133) with five homers and 20 RBIs for the Cavaliers, who finished their season at 17-30 after a loss to George Fox on Monday. The Cavs swept four games from Corban last weekend.

FEATHER RIVER: Outfielder Dayton Alexander is hitting .382 (55-144) in 36 games, with four homers and 24 RBIs. Catcher Jaret Bogue, our newest signee, is hitting .455 (50-110), with five homers and 48 RBIs, in 29 games.

FRC swept the College of the Redwoods last Thursday in its regular-season finale. It hosts the state playoffs this Friday and Saturday.

HAWAII PACIFIC: Pitcher Taylor Hill went 1-1, 4.64 in 21.1 innings over 10 games, with 16 strikeouts. HPU finished its season by sweeping doubleheaders from the Academy of Art last Saturday and Sunday.

MT. HOOD: Pitcher Nate Dolman is 4-2, 4.67 in 27 innings in seven games, with 12 strikeouts. Pitcher Matt Pechmann is 1-1, 2.28 in 27.2 innings over seven games, with 26 strikeouts. Outfielder Matt Nylen, a 10-game signee, is hitting .338 (27-80), with three homers and 16 RBIs in 24 games.

The Saints play a doubleheader at LBCC today and two more at Lane CC on Friday. They swept Clackamas last Saturday.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Pitcher Max Beatty is 5-4, 3.58 in 12 games, with 58 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. Infielder Corey Moore is hitting .297 (43-145) in 36 games, with a homer and 22 RBIs. Shortstop Nicholas Hall, a 10-game signee, is hitting .255 (26-102) in 31 games, with no homers and 15 RBIs. The Lutes lost once to Seattle and three times to Linfield last weekend. They play at the Lewis-Clark State tournament in Lewiston, Idaho, this weekend.

REDLANDS: Pitcher Kyle Hart is 8-2, 3.56 in 15 games, with 76 strikeouts in 78.1 innings. Redlands defeated Whittier and Cal Tech last weekend; it plays a single game with Chapman on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday to conclude the regular season.

RIVERSIDE CC: Pitcher Kyle McNutt pitched three scoreless innings against Orange Coast CC on Saturday but was not involved in the decison. Infielder Nic Cuckovikch was a combined 3-for-5 (.600), with three runs and two RBIs, in two games against OCCC.

Riverside is seeded No. 10 for the Southern California Baseball Regional Tournament, which begins Friday. The Tigers play No. 7 seed Santa Barbara in the best-of-3 series.

The winners of the eight regional tournaments will meet on May 13-15 for a four-team, double-elimination tournament.

WESTERN OREGON: Infielder Griffin Boyd, a 10-day signee and 2010 Knight, is hitting .306 (45-147) in 41 games, with a homer and 25 RBIs. The Wolves went 3-1 at Central Washington last weekend; they play doubleheaders against Northwest Nazarine this Thursday and Friday.

GEORGE FOX: Pitcher Nick Ranta, a 10-day signee, is 8-2, 2.40 in 13 games, with 65 strikeouts in 86.1 innings. The Bruins defeated Concordia on Monday; the play at the Lewis-Clark State tournament at Lewiston, Idaho, this weekend.

Monday: Return of the rain

Well, I sure hope everyone enjoyed spring. It lasted from about 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Glorious, wasn't it!

The good news is, with the return of the rains you also get the return of the Knights' blog, just like clockwork. Lots to update after a pretty busy weekend.

The biggest news, of course, was the no-hitter at UCLA on Saturday by former Knights' standout Josh Osich. On Monday he got his just rewards, as he was named Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week.

We're sure other awards will be forthcoming. Congrats to a great kid, who also (along with OSU's Taylor Starr, another standout on our 2008 WCL-championship team) worked as the Knights' grounds crew the past two summers.

Now, on with the rest of the blog:

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The Knights addressed their catching issues Monday by signing power-hitting Jaret Bogue, a sophomore at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound switch-hitter is batting .455 in 29 games, with 20 doubles, five homers and 48 RBIs.

The Knights lost two projected catchers earlier this year. Beau Fraser of Portland suffered a season-ending arm injury in March, and Bo Altobelli of Texas Tech decided to take the summer off to concentrate on strength and conditioning.

Bogue was a second-team Golden Valley Conference all-star in 2010, when he hit .303 with five homers and 37 RBIs. He is a graduate of Foothill High School in Oak Run, Calif.

Teammate Dayton Alexander, an outfielder from Wailuku, Hawaii, who has signed with Washington, will also play for the Knights this summer. Pitcher Aaron Corwin and infielder Thomas McCarthy of FRC played for the Knights in 2010.

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Here's our weekly update on the 2011 Division I Knights:

OREGON STATE: Pitcher Scott Schultz is 2-0, 3.81 in 28.1 innings over 11 games. Pitcher Ben Wetzler is 5-2, 4.12 in 48 innings over 12 games, with 34 strikeouts. Pitcher Tom Zarosinski and infielder Brandon Defazio haven't played yet.

The Beavers won 2 of 3 at UCLA last weekend. They play host to Oregon on Tuesday and host California on Friday-Sunday.

OREGON: Outfielder Connor Hofmann is hitting .219 (7-32) with four RBIs in 20 games. Pitcher Jimmie Sherfy is 0-0, 81.00 in .1 innings in his lone appearance. Neither played last weekend, when the Ducks lost 2 of 3 at California. They visit Oregon State on Tuesday and host UCLA on Friday-Sunday.

CAL POLY: Outfielder Jimmy Allen is hitting .198 (17-86) in 30 games, with no homers and 11 RBIs. Infielder David Armendariz is hitting .155 (9-58) with a homer and four RBIs in 25 games. Pitcher Chase Johnson is 1-4, 4.06 in 10 games, with 26 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. The Mustangs play St. Mary's on Tuesday and visit UC Irvine this weekend. They were 1-2 vs. Long Beach State last weekend.

DELAWARE: Pitcher Eric Young won at VCU last Friday and is 5-2, 4.42 in 11 games, with 30 strikeouts in 59 innings. Delaware defeated Rutgers, lost to Villanova and took 2 of 3 at VCU last weekend. It plays Princeton on Tuesday and host Old Dominion this Friday-Sunday.

HAWAII: Outfielder Michael Blake is hitting .240 (31-129) in 38 games, with no homers and 23 RBIs. He's 0-0, 1.50 in six innings in seven games as a situational reliever. Hawaii is 2-1 against Fresno State in a series that ends tonight. It plays single games at Nevada on Thursday and Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday.

SANTA CLARA: Pitcher Chris Mendoza is 3-5, 4.60 in 47 innings over 14 games. The Broncos lost three games to Gonzaga last weekend; it plays California on Tuesday and visits Pepperdine this weekend.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Pitcher Justin Hepner is 0-0, 5.06 in 5.1 innings over four appearances, with four strikeouts. The Aztecs play Long Beach State on Tuesday and visit Utah this Friday-Sunday; they were 3-0 at Western Carolina last weekend.

SEATTLE: Infielder Nate Roberts is hitting .172 (15-87) with a homer and eight RBIs in 30 games.

The Redhawks lost 3 of 4 to New Mexico State last weekend. They play at Utah Valley on Wednesday and at BYU this Thursday-Saturday.

UC IRVINE: Pitcher Nick Hoover is 2-4, 3.45 in 31.1 innings over 19 games, with 20 strikeouts. Pitcher Sebastian Santos threw a scoreless inning in his lone appearance. The Anteaters were 2-1 vs. Cal State Bakersfield last week. They play Pepperdine on Wednesday and Cal Poly this Friday-Sunday.

UC RIVERSIDE: Outfielder David Andriese is hitting .315 (41-130) in 35 games, with four homers and 23 RBIs. Pitcher Dylan Stuart is 1-1, 1.54 in 23.1 innings over 12 games, with 25 strikeouts. Reliever Mitch Patito is 1-3, 3.63 in 16 games, with six saves and 21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.

Riverside won 2 of 3 over UC Santa Barbara last weekend. It plays USC on Tuesday and Cal State Fullerton on Friday-Sunday. this Friday-Sunday.

PORTLAND: Pitcher Chris Johnson is 2-3, 3.70 in 10 games, with 41 strikeouts in 56 innings. Outfielder Nick Armenta, a 10-game signee, is 0-for-0 in his lone game. He's had a leg injury. Portland lost to Oregon State and defeated Oregon last week. It plays at St. Mary's this weekend.

WRIGHT STATE: Catcher Corey Davis is hitting .308 (45-146) in 38 games, with eight homers and 29 RBIs.

The Raiders swept UIC and split with Butler last weekend; they play at Ohio on Tuesday, host Cincinnati on Wednesday and host Valparaiso on Saturday and Sunday.

WASHINGTON STATE: Outfielder Nate Blackham is hitting .211 (4-19) with no RBIs in 21 games. Infielder J.K. Dykes is redshirting.

The Cougars took 2 of 3 from Washington last weekend. They host UNLV this Friday-Sunday.