Friday update: WCL preview

It's a rainy, dreary Friday down here at the WWHQ but we remain optimistic the sunshine will eventually returtn in plenty of time to get everyone charged up for the upcoming season.

It is now only 49 days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, and just 53 until our June 7 home opener against Klamath Falls at Goss Stadium. We've never had a home game rained out in our four previous seasons in Corvallis, and we're not ready to start now.

Remember, single-game, 10- and 15-game punchcards, and season tickets are available online or at the Knights office in the Madison Plaza building in downtown Corvallis.

Now, on with the blog.

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Here's a WCL season preview from the league's website:

The continuing growth of the West Coast League is clearly seen in the group of players signed to play in the league this season.

"This is the best crop of players our league has had," noted West Coast League president Ken Wilson. "I trust our fans are as excited to watch these future professional players as I am."

WENTACHEE

The defending WCL Champion Wenatchee AppleSox return right-hander Jeff Ames, their closer from last season. Ames, who hits 97 mph on the radar gun, is a draft-eligible sophomore at Lower Columbia College. He was named to the 2010 All-WCL First Team and is a junior college preseason All-American.

Right-hander Owen Jones, who is having a standout spring for University of Portland, figures to be a key starter for the AppleSox. UCLA is sending high school recruit Joe Ross to Wenatchee. On signing day Bruins' coach John Savage called Ross "the best right-handed pitching prospect in California."

And, UCLA freshman infielder Pat Valaika, the younger brother of Chris Valiaka, who made his major league debut with Cincinnati in 2010, should be a stalwart for the AppleSox.

BEND

The Bend Elks, who played in the 2010 WCL Championship Series, figure to be strong again. Veteran WCL performer Royce Bollinger, a Gonzaga junior, will patrol the outfield for the Elks, while St. Mary's junior catcher Toby DeMello should provide strength behind the plate.

The Elks are looking for plenty of innings from Seattle University junior right-hander Seafth Howe, who has had an exceptional spring for the RedHawks, while UC Santa Barbara freshman southpaw Cameron Cuneo hopes to match his top-notch spring performance in Bend this summer.

BELLINGHAM

UCLA's Jeff Gelalich will join the Bellingham Bells and should be one of the top outfielders in the West Coast League. Gelalich played in the 2010 College World Series and is having a stellar 2011 season with the Bruins. Left-hander Chris Howard of Brigham Young University and Gonzaga infielder Eric Lane, who played for Wenatchee in 2010, are also key Bellingham additions.

CORVALLIS

The Corvallis Knights produce some of the top players in the WCL each season, and 2011 should be no different. Right-hander Mitch Patito, UC Riverside's closer, is back again this season and will be a starter for the Knights. Patito was selected in the 40th round of the 2009 MLB draft by the Florida Marlins.

Oregon State starting pitcher Ben Wetzler, a freshman southpaw drafted in the 15th round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians, should log significant innings for the Knights. University of Oregon freshman Connor Hofmann should provide Corvallis with speed in the outfield. Hofmann was chosen in the 16th round of the 2010 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres.

COWLITZ

Improvement is what the Cowlitz Black Bears are seeking in their second season in the West Coast League. Pepperdine southpaw starter Matt Mauer has been one of the best pitchers for the Waves and should have a big season for the Black Bears. Maurer recorded 34 wins in his storied career at North Medford (Oregon) High School.

The Black Bears are also high on Arizona State freshman right-hander Mark Lambson and Cal State Fullerton freshman catcher Cody Webster.

KELOWNA

The Kelowna Falcons are looking to San Diego State 6-4, 215-pound sophomore right-hander Ethan Miller to lead their pitching staff. University of British Columbia outfielder Blake Carruthers is the fifth-ranked NAIA prospect in the 2011 MLB draft. Should he not sign, Carruthers should bring a big bat to the Falcons.

KITSAP

Left-hander Richie Mascheri, who shared the 2010 WCL lead for victories with six, returns to the Kitsap BlueJackets. Mascheri is a redshirt senior at Western Illinois. The BlueJackets have high expectations for Cal Poly freshman southpaw Reed Reilly.

KLAMATH FALLS

The expansion Klamath Falls Gems are counting on serious offensive production from Baylor third baseman Jake Miller and University of Portland slugger Turner Gill. Sacramento State freshman right-hander Dallas Chadwick, an 18th round selection of the Boston Red Sox in the 2010 MLB draft, has had a strong spring and should be key to the Gems' success.

WALLA WALLA: The Walla Walla Sweets are returning junior catcher Elliot Stewart of Cal Poly from their 2010 expansion team. Sophomore outfielder Brett Jacobs is having a big spring for the Washington State Cougars and should lead an outfield that will also feature UCLA freshman Brenton Allen, who was a 9th round selection of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2010 MLB draft.

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Here's some more news from around the WCL:

KLAMATH FALLS: The Gems have already sold 522 season tickets and expect to sell even more before the season starts, according to this story in the Klamath Falls Heralld & News.

The Gems have also signed first baseman Rich Sanguinetti, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed hitter from Arlington, Texas. Sanguinetti has signed to play at Nebraska and is currently a sophomore at Texarkana (Texas) College.

Through April 10, Sanguinetti is hitting .325 with four home runs and 23 RBIs.

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed freshman infielder/outfielder Ben Swinford of Cornell, a 6-foot, 185-pound Lake Oswego Highh graduate.

Swinford, who also played football for the Lakers, is hitting .261 (24-92) through April 13, with no homers and nine RBIs in 26 games, all starts.

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

Knights add PLU shortstop Hall

As most of you Knights fans know, it's often a problem compiling a competitive roster early in the season. Many of our players are still in school and are ineligible to compete until the term or semester is completed.

So we often augment our early-season roster with 10-day signees. Most move on to play elsewhere after fulfilling their commitment, but a few - Josh Hogan, Clayton Shaw and Griffin Boyd come to mind - play so well they stick with the team for the entire season.

Another player will have that opportunity this year. The Knights announced Thursday we have signed Nicholas Hall, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound freshman shortstop from Pacific Lutheran University. A slick fielder, he's hitting .231 (15-65) in 21 games (20 starts), with no homers and seven RBIs.

Hall is an Ashland High graduate who was a first-team 5A all-stater in 2010 and a second-team all-stater in 2009.

Welcome aboard, Nicholas.

Our other 10-day signees are pitcher Taylor Hill of Hawaii Pacific; infielder Sean Myrom of Concordia; the aforementioned Boyd, who plays at Western Oregon, and outfielder Nick Armenta of the University of Portland.

We may have a few more 10-day signees to announce before our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, which is only 50 days away. And it's only 54 days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems.

So, get those tickets now. Sales were brisk in the WWHQ yesterday, especially for July 3 Fireworks Nights tickets.

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Knights' 2011 intern Leslie Mak and the rest of the No. 3 Oregon State gymnastics team are in Cleveland for this weekend's NCAA Championships.

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Wright State catcher Corey Davis went 0-for-4 on Wednesday as the Raiders lost 7-4 to Cincinnati in the Joe Nuxall Classic at UC's Marge Schott Stadium. Davis played for the Knights in 2010 and will return this summer for an encore performance.

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Ex-Knights pitcher Aaron Corwin (2010) of Texas Tech pitched a perfect ninth inning on Wednesday to earn his first career save in a 7-6 victory at New Mexico.

He had a rough start with the Red Raiders but has been pitching excellently of late, and is 0-0, 5.11 in eight appearances, with 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.

Aaron's father, Mike Corwin, is a charter member of the Knights Corvallis Advisory Board, which was profiled here recently on the Knights' home page.

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Belated birthday wishes from the blog to Oregon State freshman infielder/Knights signee Brandon Defazio, who turned 19 on Tuesday.

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There's a story about Knights pitcher-to-be Ben Wetzler in Thursday's editions of the Corvallis Gazette-Times, our team's hometown newspaper.

There's also a Q&A with ex-Knights pitcher James Nygren (2009).

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One of our four Knights big-leaguers, Toronto reliever Marc Rzepczynski, was the winning pitcher on Wednesday night in the Jays' 8-3 victory over the Mariners at Safeco Field.

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Former Knights' catcher Andrew Susac (2009) of Oregon State and ex-Knights pitcher Tyler Anderson (2009) of Oregon are both on Baseball America's midseason list of the top 50 players eligible for this June's MLB draft.

Anderson is ranked No. 21, Susac No. 24. Here's the complete list.

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That's all for today. We'll be back on Friday with another edition of the Knights blog.

Wet Wednesday at the WWHQ

Well, spring (Tuesday) was nice while it lasted, no?

It's raining again down at the WWHQ - what else is new this year - but even the wet weather can't dampen our enthusiasm for the upcoming season. We're down to 51 days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla against the Sweets, and it's just 55 days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems.

And remember, single-game tickets, 10- and 15-game punch cards, and several season-ticket packages are on sale online by clicking here, or in person at the WWHQ in downtown Corvallis.

In fact, we already had several savvy customers in the office this morning, buying tickets for the always-popular July 3 Fireworks Night game against the Bend Elks. It's been a sellout the past two years, but at least two Knights fans already have their Fireworks Night tickets safely in the bank.

We suggest you do the same.

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A couple updates:

Knights alum Tommy Hanson (2005) of the Atlanta Braves won his first game of the season on Tuesday, a 5-0 shutout of the Florida Marlins.

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Former Knights Andrew Susac (2009) and Jake Rodriguez (2010) of the Oregon State Beavers both underwent surgery for broken hamate bones in their left wrist, and are on the DL for an undetermined period.

Here are the details from our hometown newspaper, the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

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

Cal Poly defeated Santa Clara 7-2. Outfielder Jimmy Allen was 1-for-4 and David Armendariz was 1-for-1 as a pinch-hitter for Cal Poly; Chris Mendoza took the loss for the Broncos, giving up three runs in 3.1 innings.

Concordia's Sean Myrom, a 10-day signee, was a combined 1-for-6 as the Cavaliers dropped a doubleheader at Corban, 8-0 and 3-1.

Middle infielder Nic Cuckovich of Riverside CC was 1-for-3 with a run in a 7-5 loss to Cypress CC.

Seattle infielder Nate Roberts was 1-for-3 and pitcher Cam Christian allowed three runs without retiring a batter in an 11-0 loss to Washington.

UC Irvine pitcher Nick Hoover threw three scoreless innings and had three strikeouts in a 3-0 victory over San Diego State.

UC Riverside outfielder David Andriese was 1-for-4 with a run, pitcher Dylan Stuart threw two scoreless innings and closer Mitch Patito had a scoreless ninth for the save in a 6-5 win over UNLV. Former Knight Eddie Orozco (2008-09) was the winner, and ex-Knights' great Richie Jimenez (2008-09) was 0-for-4 for the Rebels.

Wright State catcher Corey Davis was 0-for-3 in a 5-2 win over Miami of Ohio at the Joe Nuxhall Classic at the University of Cincinnati's Marge Schott Stadium.

Catcher Bo Altobelli was 0-for-4 for Texas Tech in a 4-1 win at New Mexico.

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West Coast League owners will discuss expansion for the 2012 season, and other topics, when they gather April 22-23 in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue. Adding 1-to-3 franchises for the 2012 season will be high on the agenda. The WCL currently has nine teams.

Plans for the July 26 All-Star Game in Corvallis will also be discussed. President Dan Segel and assistant general manager/director of business development Bre Kerkvliet will represent the Knights.

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Here's some more news from around the West Coast League:

The Kelowna Falcons are bringing in lots of talent for this year's club, according to this story in the Kelowna Capital News.

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The Wenatchee AppleSox have signed infielder Adam Nelubowich and right-handed pitcher Scott Simon of Washington State for the upcoming season.

A native of Stony Plain, Alberta, Nelubowich is a redshirt freshman who missed 2010 with a labrum tear. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 14th round in 2009. A corner infielder, he also played for the Canadian Junior National Team in 2009. He is hitting .140 in 14 games this season.

The 6-foot-7 Simon is a freshman from Central Valley High School in Spokane who was selected in the 33rd round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He is redshirting this spring at WSU.

Here's the complete story from the AppleSox website.

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That's all for today. Remember, direct any questions or comments to [email protected]

Big weekend for Max Beatty, Kyle Hart

In our lead to Monday's blog we inadvertently overlooked big pitching performances over the weekend by Max Beatty of Pacific Lutheran and Kyle Hart of Redlands, two righthanders who should be mainstays on the Knights' 2011 staff.

Beatty pitched seven shutout innings and had 10 strikeouts in an 8-0 victory at Whitworth on April 10. Here's the story on his impressive showing from the PLU website.

Hart allowed one earned run over six innings and had five strikeouts in an 8-2 win over Pomona-Pitzer on April 9. Here's the rundown from the Redland's website.

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Single-game tickets are now available by by emailing [email protected] or by stopping by the WWHQ in the Madison Plaza building between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Come on down and see how we roll.

Remember, tickets for the July 3 OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night go fast, so beat the rush and purchase your tickets, now.

Also, make sure to also get your West Coast League All-Star Game tickets, and seats for the initial Corvallis appearance by the world-famous San Diego Chicken.

The WCL All-Star Game powered by PEAK Internet features fireworks immediately after the game and is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26. The Famous San Diego Chicken, presented by Allstate Insurance - The Robblee Agency, is slated to appear on Saturday, July 16.

To check out the Knights' entire promotional schedule, click here.

And remember, season tickets are a great value! Our 2011 schedule includes 31 home dates; we have several season ticket options, from premium reserved seats for only $150 to GA for $110 to 10-game punch cards for only $40.

Check out our new Block reserved seating offer and all our ticket packages and prices by clicking here.

For more information on the Corvallis Knights, please visit and bookmark our website.

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Here's a rundown on the progress of our NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and JC players as we hit the midway point of their college seasons:

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO: Pitcher Tyler Duffin is 1-3, 5.59 in 19.1 innings over 15 games, with 19 strikeouts. CSI took 3 of 4 from the College of Eastern Utah last weeend; it hosts the College of Southern Nevada in doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA: Infielder Sean Myrom, a 10-game signee, is hitting .319 (29-91) in 25 games, with five homers and 15 RBIs. The Cavaliers lost 3 of 4 at British Columbia last weekend; they play a doubleheader at Corban today and doubleheaders at the College of Idaho on Saturday and Sunday.

FEATHER RIVER: Outfielder Dayton Alexander is hitting .360 (40-111) in 28 games, with four homers and 14 RBIs. FRC went 4-0 vs. Lassen College last week; it plays Butte College this Friday and Saturday and Lassen again on Sunday.

HAWAII PACIFIC: Pitcher Taylor Hill is 0-1, 6.48 in 8.1 innings over six games. HPU plays at Hawaii-Hilo Friday through Sunday.

MT. HOOD: Pitcher Nate Dolman is 3-1, 3.86 in 14 innings in five games, with four strikeouts. Pitcher Matt Pechmann 0-1, 1.50 in 18 innings over four games, with 16 strikeouts. The Saints swept doubleheaders from Chemeketa and SWOCC last week; they play doubleheaders at Clackamas today and at Linn-Benton on Saturday.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Beatty is 3-3, 2.72 in eight games, with 45 strikeouts in 53 innings. Infielder Corey Moore is hitting .327 (34-104) in 26 games, with a homer and 20 RBIs. The Lutes lost 2 of 3 at Whitworth last weekend; they host Puget Sound this Saturday (2) and Sunday.

REDLANDS: Hart is 7-1, 3.50 in 10 games, with 67 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. Redlands hosts Occidental on Friday and visits Cal Lutheran on Saturday and La Verne on Sunday. It took 2 of 3 from Pomona-Pitzer last weekend.

WESTERN OREGON: Infielder Griffin Boyd, a 10-day signee and 2010 Knight, is hitting .299 (32-107) in 30 games, with a homer and 15 RBIs. The Wolves took 3 of 4 against Lewis-Clark State last weekend and play doubleheaders at St. Martin's this Saturday and Sunday.

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Don't forget the World Famous San Diego Chicken will be coming to Goss Stadium on Saturday, July 16, when we play the Kelowna Falcons.

Here's a highlight from the most popular and famous mascot in professional sports.

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That about wraps up today's blog. We'll be back on Wednesday, with any applicable Knights news, and some updates from around the West Coast League.

Nice start for Peavey

Once a Knight, always a Knight.

Pitcher Greg Peavey, a key component of our 2007 West Division championship team, made an impressive pro debut on Thursday night for the Savannah Sand Gnats, the New York Mets' affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League.

Peavey allowed two hits over five innings and had eight strikeouts in the Gnats' 8-0 victory over the West Virginia Power in Charleston, W.Va. Here's a rundown from the Sand Gnats' website.

Congrats to Greg for a great start to his pro career!

And one of Peavey's 2007 teammates, Big Jim Murphy, that year's team MVP, homered for the Lakewood (Fla.) Blue Claws in a 2-0 victory over Kannapolis in another Sally League game.

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Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel, the first Corvallis Knight (2007) to make the majors, is off to a great start. He's hitting .292 (7-24) in five games, with four RBIs. He has at least one hit in each game this season, and an 11-game hitting streak over the past two.

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The minor-league assignments for our former Knights are starting to be finalized. You already know about Peavey and Murphy; here are the summer destinations for our other professionals who aren't in the majors yet:

BOBBY SCALES (1997): Iowa, Cubs triple-A Pacific Coast League.

CHRIS STEWART (2001): Fresno, Giants' triple-A Pacific Coast League.

ROBBIE HUDSON (2003-04): Lehigh Valley, Phillies' triple-A International League.

MATT HAGUE (2005): Indianapolis, Pirates' triple-A Pacific Coast League.

DANIEL TURPEN (2005): Colorado Springs, Rockies' triple-A Pacific Coast League.

DARIN HOLCOMB (2005): Tulsa, Rockies' double-A Texas League.

GARRETT PARCELL (2005): Jacksonville, Marlins' double-A Southern League.

MATT WAY (2007): Clearwater, Phillies' A Florida State League.

NICK AKINS (2007): Great Lakes (Mich.), Dodgers' A Midwest League.

BLAKE KEITZMAN (2007): Casper, Rockies' A Pioneer League.

JARED PRINCE (2006): Myrtle Beach (S.C.), Rangers' A Carolina League.

DREW GARCIA (2007): Birmingham, White Sox double-A Southern League.

ADAM MELKER (2008-09): Batavia, Cardinals' A New York-Penn League.

ROCKY GALE (2007, 2009): Fort Wayne, Padres' A Midwest League.

ALEX BURG (2008): Augusta (Ga.), Giants' A South Atlantic League.

Daniel Bibona (2007) and Jared Eskew (2008) have yet to be assigned, but we'll update with their destinations when they're finalized.

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Finally, only 56 days until the June 3 opener at Walla Walla and 60 days until out June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems.

And remember, send any questions about the Knights to [email protected].

More news for a Thursday

Another day closer to the season; 57 more days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, and only 61 until our June 7 home opener against the Klamath Falls Gems at Goss Stadium.

Season tickets and merchandise are available at ourt luxurious WWHQ in the Madison Plaza in downtown Corvallis.

And don't forget, the popular Joe Beaver Talk Show, hosted by Knights' broadcaster Mike Parker and Jon "Doc" Warren, will be broadcasting live from the WWHQ on May 18. So come on down and see us, get a free hot dog from Willie's, and talk some Knights baseball.

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Some of our players had midweek nonconference games on Wednesday. Here's how they fared:

CONCORDIA: Infielder Sean Myrom was 1-for-3 in a 6-5 win at Pacific in Forest Grove.

FEATHER RIVER: Outfielder Dayton Alexander was 3-for-3, with a double, two runs and an RBI, in a 19-3 win over Lassen College.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Infielder Corey Moore was 1-for-2 with a run in a 5-1 win at St. Martin's.

Weather permitting, all of our 2011 Knights will be playing this weekend for their respective schools, and we'll update their progress next week.

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Our interview with West Coast League president Ken Wilson was distilled for this story in the Longview Daily News by Rick McCorkle, the paper's beat writer for the Cowlitz Black Bears.

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Some news from around the WCL:

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed sophomore right-handed pitcher/infielder Brandon Marris of Murray State (Jr.) College in Tishomingo, Okla.

He's a native of Colony, Texas, who played at Colony High School. Falcons' pitching coach Lloyd Gage also coaches him at Murray State.

It's a

Ok, let's play chicken, as in the World Famous San Diego Chicken, who will visit Goss Stadium on Saturday, July 16, for our game against the Kelowna Falcons.

It's his first appearance in Corvallis, and one of our top promotions of the entire summer. And since it's not often that an icon regarded as the Babe Ruth of sports mascots visits Goss Stadium, we thought it would be great to give you a preview of what you'll see when you come out to the ballpark that night.

(And you WILL come out to the ballpark that night).

So, here's a sample of the Chicken's dance-off against Barney routine, and some of the Chicken's greatest routines through the years.

He's a classic, and someone who all baseball fans should see.

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Several 2011 Knights played in nonconference games on Tuesday; here's how they fared:

CAL POLY: Left fielder Jimmy Allen was 0-for-3 in a 4-0 loss to San Francisco.

OREGON STATE: Pitcher Scott Schultz threw a perfect ninth to complete an 11-1 victory at Portland.

RIVERSIDE CC: Infielder Nic Cuckovic was 0-for-2 in a 6-5 loss at Santa Ana.

SEATTLE: Infielder Nate Roberts was 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 6-4, 10-inning win over Washington.

UC RIVERSIDE: Outfielder David Andriese was 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 5-4, 11-inning win over No. 16 UCLA. Pitcher Dylan Stuart allowed one run in three innings - the first run he's surrendered this year - and Mitch Patito added two scoreless innings, with three strikeouts.

WASHINGTON STATE: Outfielder Nate Blackham was 1-for-5 in a 14-6 win at Gonzaga.

TEXAS TECH:Catcher Bo Altobelli doubled, singled, scored twice and drive in three runs in an 11-6 win over Texas-Arlington.

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Here's some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

WENATCHEE: The AppleSox have signed right-handed pitcher Owen Jones and left-handed pitcher Keeler Brynteson of the University of Portland for the 2011 season.

"We have had a lot of players from the University of Portland over the years and it is a relationship we really value," Wenatchee coach Ed Knaggs said. "The program has really done well the last few years and we are excited about the caliber of the pitchers they are sending us."

Jones is rejoining the AppleSox after two years away from the team. A redshirt junior from Edmonds, Wash., he was one of Wenatchee's most consistent pitchers in 2008 (3-3, 2.72) and was named an honorable-mention WCL all-star. He had the lowest ERA of any AppleSox starter that summer.

He spent last summer with the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League, going 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA. He is 2-3, 5.55 for the Pilots in 2011.

"Owen was great for us in 2008 and we are really thrilled to have him back," Knaggs said. "He had such a great experience with us that he wanted return. He is a very competitive guy on the mound and the type of player you love to have."

Brynteson is a junior from Anacortes who is 0-0, 6.14 in a team-high 17 appearances for the Pilots. He also played at Green Bay last summer; he led the league in appearances (33) and was 0-2, 3.82 ERA.

"He is a very resilient pitcher and we will use him a lot," Knaggs said. "He will be coming out of the bullpen, but he could see an occasional spot start."

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed freshman infielder Cody Stephens of Washington for the upcoming season. He's hitting .111 (1-9) in six games this spring.

A native of Concord, Calif., Stephens lettered three times at Clayton Valley High School and was team captain, a Diablo Valley Athletic League all-stazr, and team MVP his senior year.

The Falcons have also signed right-handed pitchers Tim Keller and Tyler Huffer of Arizona Western (Jr.) College.

Keller is a sophomore from Eugene who earned all-state honors at North Eugene High School. He also played for the Washington Nationals 2008 area code team.

Huffer is a sophomore from Kingman, Ariz., who can also play third base.

WALLA WALLA: Here are the latest 10 things to know about Sweets baseball, from the club's website.

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Finally, only 58 days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, and 62 days until our June 7 home opener against Klamath Falls at Goss Stadium.

And if you ever have a question about the Knights, feel free to e-mail the Blog at [email protected], and we'll do our best to answer it.

Tuesday Knights update

Welcome to the Knights blog for a sunny Tuesday at the WWHQ in beautiful downtown Corvallis.

The WWHQ had a phone call from the parents of 2011 Knight David Armendariz of Cal Poly, wrapping up a few final details about the upcoming season. They're excited about visiting Goss Stadium/Corvallis, and we hope you are too.

We've cracked the 60 barrier. Only 59 more days until our June 3 opener at Walla Walla, and just 63 until our June 7 home opener against the Klamath Falls Gems. I remember when both numbers were in the hundreds, so yes, the season's getting closer.

We continue to strengthen our roster. On Monday we added Texas Tech catcher Bo Altobelli, a returnee from 2010. If you missed the anbnouncement on the Knights' blog or on Facebook, here are the details as reported in this morning's Corvallis Gazette-Times, the official hometown newspaper of the Knights.

Welcome back, Bo, and keep tearing it up in the Big 12.

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Veteran Knight (2009-11) Nick Hoover of UC Irvine was nominated for Big West Pitcher of the Week for March 28-April 3, but did not win.

Hoover pitched 5.1 innings of 3-hit, 1-run relief in a victory over Cal State Northridge on April 2 and got the win. He also pitched a scoreless inning of relief in a 4-0 win over USC on March 29.

He's 2-1, 2.08 in 22 innings over 12 appearances this season, with 14 strikeouts.

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Infielder Dan Winterstein of George Fox University, who made a cameo appearance for the 2009 Knights, was nominated for Northwest Conference Player of the Week honors, but did not win.

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And congrats to Knights' host family dad Tom Picht of Corvallis, who has joined Mutual of Omaha as a sales agent/producer. Tom and his wife Brenda are in their second year in the host family program.

By the way, we have a big roster this summer and still need more host families. If you're interested, contact Jaimie Van Vleet, our Director of Player Housing, at 541-752-5656. It's a rewarding experience.

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Here's a rundown on our Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior-college Knights.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO: Pitcher Tyler Duffin is 1-3, 4.91 in 18.1 innings over 14 games, with 20 strikeouts. CSI swept four games from Colorado Northwest CC last weekend; it hosts Eastern Utah CC in doubleheaders this Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA: Infielder Sean Myrom is hitting .338 (25-74), with five homers and 15 RBIs. The Cavaliers lost 3 of 4 to Lewis-Clark State last weekend; they play Pacific in Forest Grove on Wednesday and travel to the University of British Columbia this weekend for Saturday-Sunday doubleheaders.

FEATHER RIVER CC: Outfielder Dayton Alexander is hitting .347 (33-95), with four homers and 11 RBIs. FRCC defeated the College of the Siskiyous on Monday and plays Lassen College on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

HAWAII PACIFIC: Pitcher Taylor Hill is 0-1, 6.48 in 8.1 innings over six games. HPU plays doubleheaders against Dixie State on Wednesday and Thursday.

MOUNT HOOD CC: Pitcher Nate Dolman is 2-0, 0.82 in 11 innings over three games, with three strikeouts. Pitcher Matt Pechmann is 0-1, 0.00 in 11 inings over three games, with 14 strikeouts. The Saints play doubleheaders against Chemeketa on Thursday and against SWOCC on Saturday.

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Infielder Corey Moore is hitting .322 (29-90), with a homer and 17 RBIs and pitcher Max Beatty is 2-3, 3.13 with 35 strikeouts in 46 innings over seven games. The Lutes took 2 of 3 against Whitman last weekend; they play at St. Martin's on Wednesday and at Whitworth on Saturday (2) and Sunday.

REDLANDS: Pitcher Kyle Hart is 6-1, 3,72 in 10 games, with 62 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Redlands won 2 of 3 against Whittier last weekend and plays Pomona-Pitzer this Saturday (2) and Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON:Infielder Griffin Boyd is hitting .292 (28-96) in 26 games, with a homer and 14 RBIs. The Wolves play host to Lewis-Clark State this Friday-Sunday.

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That's all for today. We'll be back tomorrow with more news about the Knights and some items from around the West Coast League.

It's a back to work Monday

Happy Monday, everyone.

It was a big weekend for the Corvallis Knights family.

First, 2011 intern Leslie Mak of the Oregon State gymnastics team won the beam, bars and all-around championships at the NCAA Corvallis Regional on Saturday night, leading the Beavers to the team title and into the NCAA Championships.

And on Monday, she was named the NCAA West Region Gymnast of the Year. (She earlier was named the Pacific-10 Conference Gymnast of the Year.)

So congrats, Leslie! The NCAA championships are April 15-17 in Cleveland.

And OSU freshman pitcher Ben Wetzler threw six effective innings on Sunday and got the win in an 8-4 victory at Arizona that gave the Beavers a series win. He settled down after a shaky start and give up just three runs.

According to radio reports, Wetzler got the start in OSU's biggest game to date because of his competitive attitude, and that's good news for the Knights as well as we expect him to be one of the mainstays of our 2011 summer staff.

And it helps that he can pitch. Wetzler is 4-1, with 26 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.

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Nice story on Knights' fan Mark Armour and his family in the April-May edition of MOM Magazine.

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There's a mention of Makai Thompson, a member of the Walla Walla Sweets ownership group, in this Tacoma News-Tribune story on the Tacoma Rainiers new ownership group.

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Here's an update on our Division I 2011 Knights after this past weekend:

OREGON STATE: As mentioned, pitcher Ben Wetzler is 4-1, 4.15 in 34.2 innings, with 26 strikeouts. Pitcher Scott Schultz is 1-0, 3.12 in 17.1 innings over six games. Pitcher Tom Zarosinski and infielder Brendan Defazio haven't played yet.

The Beavers play at Portland on Tuesday and host Arizona State this weekend. OSU won 2 of 3 at Arizona this past weekend.

OREGON: Outfielder Connor Hofmann is hitting .218 (7-32) with four RBIs in 18 games. Pitcher Jimmie Sherfy is 0-0, 81.00 in .1 innings in his lone appearance. The Ducks host Washington this weekend after being swept at ASU this past weekend.

CAL POLY: Outfielder David Armendariz is hitting .148 (8-54), with four RBIs, in 21 games. Infielder Jimmy Allen is hitting .195 (8-41), with six RBIs, in 15 games and pitcher Chase Johnson is 0-2, 3.66 in six games, with 16 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

The Mustangs play at San Francisco on Tuesday and at UC Santa Barbara this weekend. They won 2 of 3 against visiting UC Riverside this past weekend.

DELAWARE: Pitcher Eric Young (3-2, 4.17) got the win against Georgia State this past Friday as the Blue Hens won 2 of 3 in their CAA series. He has 18 strikeouts in 36.2 innings over seven starts.

They play at Lehigh on Tuesday, host Maryland-Baltimore County on Wednesday and visit UNC-Wilmington this weekend.

HAWAII: Outfielder/pitcher Michael Blake is hitting .268 (22-82) in 26 games, with no homers and 14 RBIs. He's 0-0, 2.08 over 4.1 innings in six games as a situational reliever. Hawaii won 3 of 4 over Wichita State last week and hosts Sacramento State this weekend.

SANTA CLARA: Pitcher Chris Mendoza lost Sunday's series finale to Cal State-Bakersfield and is 2-3, 3.82 in 33 innings over seven games. The Broncos lost 2 of 3 to Bakersfield; they host Loyola Marymount this weekend.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Pitcher Justin Hepner is 0-0, 6.75 in three innings over three appearances, with four strikeouts. The Aztecs lost 2 of 3 to Oral Roberts this past weekend; they play at Long Beach State on Tuesday and host Utah this weekend.

SEATTLE: Infielder Nate Roberts is hitting .111 (6-54) with two RBIs in 18 games. Pitcher Cam Christian is 0-1, 12.60 in five innings over five games.

The Redhawks host Washington today, Washington State on Wednesday and go to Nevada this weekend.

UC IRVINE: Pitcher Nick Hoover is 2-1, 2.05 in 22 innings over 12 games and pitcher Sebastian Santos is 0-0, 0.00 in one inning in one game.

The Anteaters are at San Diego on Tusday and at Cal State-Fullerton this weekend. They swept Cal State Northridge this past weekend.

UC RIVERSIDE: Outfielder David Andriese is hitting .325 (25-77) with three homers and 12 RBIs in 21 games. Pitcher Dylan Stuart is 1-0, 0.00 in 12.2 innings over five games, with 16 strikeouts. Pitcher Mitch Patito blew a save at Cal Poly on Sunday and is 1-3, 4.15 in eight games, with eight strikeouts and four saves in 8.2 innings.

The Highlanders play at UCLA on Tuesday and host Pacific this weekend.

PORTLAND: Pitcher Chris Johnson is 1-1, 4.01 in seven games, with 27 strikeouts in 33.2 innings. Outfielder Nick Armenta is hitless in his lone at-bat.

The Pilots host OSU on Tuesday and Pepperdine this weekend. They lost three games at Creighton this past weekend.

WRIGHT STATE: Catcher Corey Davis is hitting .326 (29-89) in 24 games, with three homers and 17 RBIs. The Raiders host Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday and visit Le Moyne this wseekend.

WASHINGTON STATE: Outfielder Nate Blackham is hitting .273 (3-11) in 15 games, with no homers and no RBIs. The Cougars lost 2 of 3 to Stanford this past weekend; they play at Gonzaga on Tuesday, at Seattle on Wednesday and they host UCLA this weekend.

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We're down to 60 days before our June 3 opener at Walla Walla and 64 days until our June 7 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems.

Remember, tickets and merchandise are available on our website, or at the Knights' WWHQ in Madison Plaza in downtown Corvallis.

We'll have an update on our Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college Knights on Tuesday.

Monday Blog II: Altobelli returns

The Knights are turning to a familiar face to address their catching problems for the 2011 season.

General manager Brooke Knight announced Monday that Texas Tech sophomore Bo Altobelli will return for his second season with the Knights. He will fill the void left by the loss of projected Knights Beau Fraser of Portland and Orrin Sears of Linn Benton Community College because of injuries and academic issues, respectively.

A 6-foot-1, 190-pounder from Plano, Texas, Altobelli is hitting .393 (22-56) in 21 games this spring, with no homers and 13 RBIs.

"We are really excited to have Bo back," Knight said. "Bo has a sound understanding of the game, an infectious passion, and a balanced disposition. "He is tearing the cover off the ball this spring in the Big 12 as well. We are looking forward to his arrival in June."

Altobelli hit .244 (10-41) for the Knights in 2010, with no homers and five RBIs in 20 games, before leaving the team in late July after suffering an injury. An all-stater in 2009 as a senior at Plano High, he hit .231 (6-26) with no homers and five RBIs as a TTU freshman in 2010.