Corvallis sweeps Spokane, Knights beat Hawks 4-1 to extend its record win streak to 16 games before crowd of 682.
July 1, 2009
Linn-Benton CC hurlers Trevor Smith and Liam Baron (pictured) teamed to earn the win & save, respectively.
One inning of offense was it for both teams as the Knights topped Spokane 4-1 in the first inning to earn a sweep of the RiverHawks.
The sweep also pushed the Knights winning streak to 16 straight games, a new franchise best.
Spokane scored a run in the top of the first when the RiverHawks plated a run on an attempted double steal with runners on first and third and two out. The runner from third scored before the Knights recorded the third out on a rundown (caught stealing).
Corvallis responded with six straight hits and 4 runs in the bottom of the first. Washington third baseman Doug Cherry started things off with a bloop single to right. Second baseman Josh Hogan of UO followed with a bunt single. First baseman Dylan Jones then singled to center scoring Cherry. After Jones was caught stealing, shortstop Richie Jimenez of Riverside CC singled to right scoring Hogan. Corvallis would plate a third run when Jimenez scored on a double to right-center by designated hitter Taylor Ard, a soph-to be at OSU. And then went up 4-1 on Pat Colwell's two-out RBI single to right scoring Ard.
"We put a lot of pressure on them," Hogan said. "Our first six guys got hits and got on base. We ran the bases a bit and put pressure on them like we have all series."
After the first, the game turned into a pitching duel as Corvallis starter Trevor Smith shutdown the RiverHawks offense for the next five innings.
"The pitchers pounded the zone and let the defense work," Hogan said. "That's just what happens when pitchers are constantly throwing strikes."
Smith got help from his defense, specifically Hogan, who turned in several outstanding plays in the field.
"The pitchers have trust in us and we have trust in them to throw strikes," Hogan said.
On offense, Ard, Jimenez and Hogan finished the night with two hits each.
Eddie Orozco of UC Riverside replaced Smith in the seventh and went on to throw two scoreless innings.
Aussie southpaw Liam Baron of Linn-Benton CC closed for a second straight night to wrap things for Corvallis, striking out one as he earned his second save in as many nights.
Smith earned the win to improve his record to 3-0.
With the victory, the Knights improved their overall record to 19-3 and league mark to 14-3. Corvallis leads the West by 3 1/2 games.
Corvallis faces the Portland Lobos tomorrow in a non-conference affair at Goss Stadium.
You can catch the game on KEJO 1240 AM. Mike Parker - the voice of the Knights - calls all the action.
