Corvallis extends WCCBL winning streak to 6 games. Knights beat Pirates 4-3.

Infielders Doug Cherry of UW and Richie Jimenez of RCC (pictured) shined on defense as the Knights continued to play solid defense. Corvallis has only made one error over its last six games. The Knights lead the WCCBL in team defense with a .975 fielding percentage.

Corvallis came from behind Friday night to win the opening game of its series with Moses Lake 4-3.

Junior first baseman Kyle Stalker of Willamette University was the Knights' hitting star blasting two RBI doubles.

"I was seeing the ball pretty well," Stalker said. "The guys in front of me were getting on base and it was time for me to make an impact."

Corvallis plated the first run of the game in the second inning thanks to a lead-off bunt single down the third baseline by Mt. Hood CC's Billy Clontz. After advancing to second on a groundout by Davis Duren of Oklahoma State, Clontz scored on a deep liner to center by Stalker. It appeared that Pirates' centerfielder Dane Yelovich of Kansas State had a beat on the ball before it sailed over his head, scoring Clontz and allowing Stalker to stand-up at second with a double.

In the third inning Moses Lake appeared to figure out Knights' starter Liam Baron of Linn Benton CC. University of Washington's Brock Gates, who went 3 for 3 on the night, led-off the inning with a single to right. Gates scored on an RBI single to center off the bat of Western Oregon's Cesar Lopez to tie the game 1-1. The Pirates then took the lead on Brandon Huerta's RBI single.

Baron surrendered a triple to Gates to lead-off the the top of the seventh. Gates scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Huerta to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

Long Beach State's Anthony Carrillo replaced Baron in the seventh and was able to get the final two outs of the inning. Carrillo would pick-up the win in relief.

The Knights rallied in the bottom of the 7th. Clontz led-off the frame reaching second on a throwing error and advancing to third on a ground out by Duren. On the first pitch, Stalker drove a ball into right-center for his second RBI double once again plating Clontz.

"You have to keep working when the starters find their grove in the middle of the game," said Stalker. "We have to stay on them and get the runners on base to get them out of it."

Adam Melker of Cal Poly replaced Stalker on the base paths and scored easily on a double to left-center by catcher Alex Burg of Washington State, tying the game at 3-3. Future Oregon Duck Josh Hogan dropped a pinch-hit bloop single to right advancing Burg to third. Then Burg hustled home as Richie Jimenez of Riverside CC beat out what Moses Lake hoped would be an inning-ending double play as the Knights took the 4-3 lead and Jimenez collected the game-winning RBI.

Sophomore-to be Chris Brookey at Southwestern brought Brookey Nation to their feet as he finished the game with two innings of scoreless ball, allowing only one batter to reach base on a hit-by-pitch. Much to the delight of his press box fans, Brookey registed his second save of the season.

"Our offense came up clutch and pulled through for us," Brookey said. "I had to come in and preserve that lead. It is fun pitching here and I just came in trying to keep the lead."

With the victory, Corvallis improves its overall mark to 14-7 and League record to 13-6, and extends its winning streak to 6.

Game two of the series is Saturday, July 5. Game time is 6:35 pm.

Catch the final two games of the series on 990 AM The Legend. Mike Parker, the voice of the Knights, calls all the action.