Kelly has only hits for Knights in loss to Bells.

Outfielder Dalton Kelly (pictured) had the only hits for Corvallis on Thursday in a 4-1 loss at Bellingham.

A rising junior at UC Santa Barbara, Kelly singled in the first inning and then smacked an RBI double with two outs in the ninth. That was all the South Division-leading Knights (25-13, 21-13 WCL) could muster as their five-game winning streak came to an end.

West Division pacesetter Bellingham (26-7 WCL) improved its league-best record with its sixth win in its last seven games.

Bellingham pitcher Seth Martinez allowed just one hit in seven innings. He struck out three, did not issue a walk, and retired the final 19 batters in order. Kelly was thrown out trying to steal to end the first inning so Martinez faced just 21 Knights, the 7-inning minimum.

Relievers Moises Ceja and Burke FitzPatrick finished up. The Knights avoided a shutout and their first 1-hit loss since June 27, 2012, in the ninth off when Grant Melker (San Diego) walked with two outs and Kelly followed with a double to right field that just missed being a two-run homer.

However, FitzPatrick then retired Kevin Kline (Dixie State) for the third out to end the game.

Danny Miller and Garret Harpole each hit two-run homers off Corvallis starter Jackson Lockwood (Portland) to give the Bells a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Lockwood then shut the Bells down until being relieved by Chris Bishop (PLU) in the sixth. Bishop kept the Bells off the board the rest of the way.

The series resumes at 7:05 p.m. Friday. Angel Landazuri (2-0, 2.88) of UC Riverside is the projected starter for the Knights, opposed by Aaron Sandefur of Bellevue CC (4-1, 2.30) in a matchup of right-handers. The series finale is at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.