Sweets blank Knights 8-0 on Opening Night in Walla Walla.

Nathan Blackham (pictured) of Washington State collected two hits in his Knights' debut. But it was the Sweets night as Walla Walla roughed up Corvallis starter Brian Ranta for six runs in the third inning on Friday night and went on to an 8-0 victory in each team�s West Coast League opener.

The Knights (0-1) were held to five hits by Sweets� (1-0) starter Ryan Richardson and relievers Daniel Jewett and Drew Fittry before a crowd of 1,742. A double play on a line drive with runners on the corners in the sixth inning ended the Knights� only real threat.

Center fielder Nate Blackham of Washington State (pictured) singled twice but he was the lone Knight with more than one safety.

Ranta held the Sweets in check through two innings but they parlayed six hits and an error into a big third. Austin Heaps� two-run triple and Goose Kallunke�s RBI double were the big blows.

Five runs were unearned but the Sweets had five hits in a row and scored five times with two outs as Ranta was unable to quickly retire the side after the error and minimize the damage.

Corvallis relievers Tyler Duffin and Taylor Hill held the Sweets to two runs over the final five innings but the outcome essentially was already decided and the Knights couldn�t mount a challenge.

Alex Bonczyk had three hits and two RBIs, Chance Kopacz and Kalani Brackenridge collected two hits apiece for the Sweets.

The series resumes at 7 p.m. Saturday. The projected starters are Pacific Lutheran righty Max Beatty for the Knights, opposed by Walla Walla CC lefty Brett Watson.