Alcantar's RBI single tops Crabs to end marathon.

Emilio Alcantar's single in the 14th inning drove in Nick Madrigal with the decisive run as Corvallis rallied for a 5-4, 14-inning victory over the Humboldt Crabs on Wednesday.

Madrigal (Oregon State) legged out an infield hit to shortstop to lead off the 14th. He stole second, continued to third on a throwing error, and scored when Alcantar (Linn-Benton CC) blooped a base hit into short left field over a drawn-in infield.

The Knights (10-14 all, 7-14 WCL) thus swept the two-game, nonconference series with the Crabs and won for the third time in their last four games.

It was their longest game since a 15-inning, 4-3 loss to Bend at Goss Stadium on July 30, 2011. It did not come close to matching the longest game in team history, a 2-1, 20-inning loss at Kitsap that started on June 17, 2009, was suspended at 11 p.m. by local ordinance, and completed on July 18 of that year on their next trip to Silverdale.

Ryan Walker (Washington State) pitched 1.1 innings of perfect relief for the win. He entered with the bases loaded and two outs in the 13th, ended that threat on one pitch, and then added a scoreless 14th. He also saved Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Crabs with a perfect ninth inning.

Corvallis trailed 4-2 in the 10th after the Crabs scored twice in the top half. But a leadoff error opened the door and the Knights broke through for two runs of their own to extend the game.

An error on a stolen base scored Alcantar to draw the Knights within 4-3. Cameron Bishop (UC Irvine) then drove in Jes Staples (Bellarmine), who had moved to third on a single, a steal and an error, with the tying run.

The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Andy Cosgrove (Washington). The Crabs surged ahead with two runs in the sixth, but the Knights drew even at 2-2 in the eighth on Cole Kreuter's (UC Irvine) RBI squeeze bunt.

Corvallis plays its annual game against the Albany Mid-Valley Rockets American Legion team at 6:40 Thursday. It's a Block 15 Thursday and our first $44 Family Four-Pack night; fans can buy four GA tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of Kettle Chips and four fountain sodas for just $44.

Additional family members may be added for just $11 each. These packages may be purchased the night of the game or in advance at our office. The Heart of the Valley Out to the Ballgame 5k race will precede the game.

The Knights resume West Coast League action against Victoria at 7:15 p.m. Friday on Oregon State Credit Union Fireworks Night. The teams also play on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Wednesday's crowd of 1,015 increased the season total to 17,376 in 12 dates. The Knights are 2,934 fans ahead of 2014 in a corresponding number of openings.