Corvallis edges Bend 7-6 in 10 innings. Knights take first WCL series.
June 11, 2009
Richie Jimenez (pictured) went 2 for 4 in his return to Corvallis and Kyle Kraus delivered a game-winning walk-off single. Jimenez arrived from Ontario, California this afternoon and sparked the Knights to victory and a series win vs. the Elks.
For the second time in three nights, the Knights picked up an extra-inning walk-off victory over the Bend Elks.
In front of a crowd of 581, Kyle Kraus of University of Portland made the most out of his first time in the batter's box since February with a 2-for-6 night including the game-winning single in the 10th.
"It was a little different, but baseball is baseball," Kraus said. "It takes a little bit to get used to the live pitching. I hadn't hit since February, so it was different."
For a second straight night, Corvallis scored two in the first as leadoff hitter Pat Colwell of San Diego State walked, moved to second on a groundout by Jimenez and hustled home on first baseman Taylor Ard's RBI single up the middle to put Corvallis on the board first.
"I'm just glad to be here again," said soph shortstop Richie Jimenez of Riverside City College. "The atmosphere and the fans, it's just a fun place to be. I am excited."
Corvallis extended its lead to 3-0 on Jimenez's second-inning sacrifice fly, but Bend came back scoring 4 in the third to take the lead.
Bend went up 5-3 in the top of the fifth as Ryan Dunn reached on an error by starting pitcher Dylan Jones of Mt. Hood CC. After stealing second and moving to third on a groundout, Dunn scored on a sac fly to center by Peter Levine of USF.
Down two runs heading into the bottom of the sixth, Corvallis got things going with two outs as Billy Clontz of Western Oregon singled up the middle. Clontz advanced to second on an Ard single, then moved to third when DJ Johnson of Mt. Hood CC was hit with a pitch. A passed ball scored Clontz putting the Knights within a run of its rival Elks.
Johnson would get hits three times in the game.
Colwell started a rally in the bottom of the eighth when he singled to centerfield. Jimenez sacrificed Colwell to second, then Pat moved to third after an intentional walk of Ard and another Johnson hit by pitch. A wild pitch by Enoch Deaton allowed Colwell to score the game-tying run.
"We battle," Kraus said. "We haven't really found our bats yet, defense has been a little shaky, but once we tune it up a bit we should be pretty solid."
Neither team scored in the ninth, but the Elks struck for a run in the 10th off reliever Ross Pomerantz of Occidental College.
Down 6-5, Jimenez singled to lead-off the bottom of the 10th. Richie moved to second on a wild pitch and then Billy Clontz of Western Oregon got hit. Taylor Ard of Mt. Hood CC followed with a game-tying RBI single to leftfield scoring Jimenez, and moving Clontz into scoring position.
"Words can't explain it," Jimenez said. "I felt I had to get on base and I was lucky enough to get a hit. We ran with it from there and the guys picked me up."
Bend intentionally walked Johnson to load the bases and put the game on the shoulders of Kraus. On a 2-2 count, Kraus singled to right scoring Clontz and securing a series victory for the Knights.
"I was just trying to hit it hard," Kraus said. "I had some chances earlier in the game and didn't come through - so why not then?"
Ard led the Knights at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. In his first game of the 2009 season, Jimenez was 2-4 with a run and RBI.
The Knights collected a season-high 14 hits.
On the hill, Knights' starter Dylan Jones went six innings, striking out 6 and giving up five runs.
Chad Jones of George Fox threw two scoreless innings of relief, striking out four.
Occidental College's Ross Pomerantz picked up his first victory as a Knight. The southpaw reliever tossed two scoreless innings.
Corvallis heads to Bellingham Friday to start a six-game road swing that ends in Bremerton, Washington vs. the Kitsap BlueJackets.
Knights play another thriller by Brooks Hatch of the Gazette-Times
