Knights Hope to End Struggles in Canada.

Corvallis Starts Second-Half of Season at Kelowna

The Corvallis Knights were not dispirited on Wednesday when they piled into their bus for the 410-mile journey to Kelowna, British Columbia for their upcoming three-game series with the Falcons.

Yes, the Knights (16-12, 14-12 WCL) were swept by Bend earlier this week and have been outscored 44-22 during a tailspin that's seen them lose 5 of 6 and tumble out of first place in the West Division of the West Coast League.

But baseball's a cyclical game. And the Knights who took a pratfall against Wenatchee and Bend are essentially the same group that won 10 of 12 in mid-to-late June to zoom into first place.

So they're not panicking. There's plenty of season remaining to turn things around, a process they hope begins this weekend at Elks Stadium in Kelowna.

"It's just one of those skids every team falls into eventually; this is our time," reliever Nick Hoover of UC Irvine said. "We haven't been pitching as well as we did in the beginning of the year, so once that gets back on track our bats are going to come around."

The Knights' team ERA is a respectable 3.03, but they've given up 32 unearned runs and have had problems recently closing out innings and surrendering two-out, RBI hits. They have a 5.19 ERA over the last seven games.

"We need to focus in a little more," Hoover added. "We get two outs really quick, then we seem to lose focus. That happened to me," on Monday, when Hoover gave up three two-out runs in a 12-3 loss to the Elks.

"I got two outs, then I went four-pitch walk, hit, and another walk," before giving up a three-run triple.

"We just have to get it done. We have a month and a half left, so we have a lot of time.

"We'll flush that Bend series. We've got a new one coming up with Kelowna; it's a good time to get back on track and get the ship righted."

One bright spot lately is a hitting surge by first baseman David Armendariz of Cal Poly. He was 5-for-9 (.556) with a homer and a double in the two games at Bend, raising his average to a season-high .271, with seven RBIs.

He's batting .367 (11-30) over his last seven games.

"I'm seeing the ball better, and just trusting my hands and getting my front foot down," he said. "I'm feeling more comfortable, that's the biggest thing. It feels good.

"It's a long summer. It always happens; teams go into little funks and we know we're in one now. But all these teams that are hot right now we'll catch that funk later and we'll be the ones passing them.

"We just need to throw, hit and play catch. We'll be fine."

Also, shortstop Trent Oleszczuk of Seattle University has established himself as a viable leadoff hitter, with a team-high .435 on-base percentage.

He's hitting .292 and has walked or been hit by pitch in 13 of his 64 plate appearances.

"If we get the first batter on base, he should score," Armendariz said. "Hit-and-run, bunt, if we do the things we need to do we should be able (score).

"We can't just leave him stranded, that's the biggest thing. It will start happening, I believe it."

The Falcons (8-19) are in last place in the East Division but are playing much better lately. They're 5-5 in their last 10 games and completed a 3-3 road trip to Bend and Klamath Falls on Tuesday night with an 11-8 win over the Gems in the rubber game of that series.

Starting outfielder David Andriese (.158, 1-12) will miss the series with shingles. Outfielder Nate Blackham (.316, 0-0), out since June 22 with a thumb injury, will be re-examined on Sunday and could rejoin the team on Monday for the start of a six-game homestand with Kitsap and Kelowna.

The highlight of the Knights' next homestand is the first Corvallis appearance by the famous San Diego Chicken, one of the most-recognizable mascots in sports. He will perform on Saturday, July 16.

Notes: Corvallis attendance is on the rise as the Knights per game average is 1,345 after Sunday's July 3rd sellout (2,930). Corvallis has eclipsed 1,000 eleven times this season. Over 13 home dates, total attendance is 17,490. The Knights 2010 per game average was 996. The team's annual free clinic (pictured) on Saturday, June 25 at Goss Stadium, compliments of Starker Forests, drew 172 campers.