Knights complete sweep of Bells.

Knights� pitcher Max Beatty (pictured) continued his early-season mastery on Saturday in a 4-2 victory over Bellingham at Goss Stadium.

The sophomore from Pacific Lutheran turned in his third consecutive strong starting performance, enabling the streaking Knights (7-5, 6-5 WCL) to sweep the series and win their fourth game in a row before an announced crowd of 723.

Center fielder Matt Nylen added three hits and made a nice running catch to rob Bellingham (4-9) third baseman Danny Poplawski of a possible extra-base base hit in the sixth inning.

Beatty allowed two run on five hits over five innings, with five strikeouts. He�s now 2-0, with a 2.41 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

A reliever in a late-season 2010 stint with the Knights, Beatty was PLU�s top starter and earned second-team all-Northwest Conference honors this past spring. Beatty knew he�d get a chance to start early this summer before the entire Knights� staff reported, and he has not squandered the opportunity to stake his claim on a regular spot in the rotation.

He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Walla Walla in his first start, and got the win with a 3-hitter over eight innings. He allowed just two hits over 5.2 innings at Bend in his other start, a no-decision.

"They told me I'd be starting early and if I did well I'd keep the starting role," Beatty said Saturday. "I�m commanding my fastball and after I establish that my other pitches do well."

Relievers Matt Pechmann, Kyle McNutt, Chase Johnson and Eric Young each threw a scoreless inning to secure the sweep. It's the second time this season Young, the winner in Friday�s night�s 3-2, 10-inning triumph, has saved a Beatty win.

The Knights� bullpen was stellar all weekend. Eight relievers combined to allow just two runs and seven hits in 14 total innings, with 16 strikeouts, two saves and a win.

The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the third on Jimmy Allen's RBI single and Core Davis�s sacrifice fly. The Bells tied the game in the top of the fourth, but the Knights responded with two runs in their half to take a lead Beatty and the bullpen protected.

Nylen drove in the eventual winning run with an infield single. The second run scored on an overthrow by Bells� catcher Nick Andrews.

Bellingham completed a seven-game road trip at 1-6, and has now lost 8 of 9 after starting the season 3-0 with a home sweep of Kelowna.

The Knights are idle on Sunday; they open a three-game series at red-hot Wenatchee at 7 p.m. Monday. The two-time defending WCL-champion AppleSox were 12-1 entering Saturday night�s game at Walla Walla and already lead the second-place Sweets by 5.5 games in the East Division.

The Knights host the Sweets this Thursday-Saturday in their next home series. The opener is another Block 15 Thursday; Friday is State Farm Insurance Rally Towel Night. Saturday is the first $1,000 Kids Dash for Cash night, sponsored by All Family Vision Care.