Sweep moves Bend into first place in the WCL's West Division.

First baseman David Armendariz (pictured) hit his first homer of the summer but the Knights mustered no other big hits in an 11-2 loss to the Elks.

Bend scored early and often for the second night in a row to sweep their West Coast League series. The Elks (15-11) thus moved into sole possession of first place in the West Division by one game over Cowlitz and the reeling Knights (15-12, 14-12 WCL).

Corvallis was outscored 28-7 in the series and has lost five of its last six games to fall out of the West Division lead.

Armendariz finished 5-for-9 in the two games in Bend to raise his average to .271. Shortstop Trent Oleszczuk, designated hitter Sean Myrom and second baseman Corey Moore had two hits each.

Bend scored five unearned runs off Knights' starter Dylan Stuart (2-1) in the first inning. The Elks eased home from there behind winning pitcher Jason Wilson and several relievers, who spaced nine hits and stranded 12 baserunners.

Three unearned runs in the seventh inning put the Elks in double figures for the second game in a row; they won 12-3 on Monday. The Knights committed six errors altogether, leading to eight unearned runs.

First baseman Stetson Olson had three hits and three RBIs and third baseman Tyler Christian added three RBIs for the Elks. Christian drove in five in Monday's rout and totaled eight RBIs for the two games in Bend to assume the WCL lead with 18.

The Knights head for Kelowna, British Columbia, on Wednesday morning. They'll start a three-game series with the Falcons on Thursday night.

The Knights' next home game is July 11 against Kitsap. It's a $1 Hot Dog Night and an Emmons Meat Market Miser Monday; $3 general admission coupons are available at the store, east of Corvallis on Highway 34.

Also on Tuesday, the Knights added Oregon State catcher/pitcher/outfielder Ryan Gorton to the roster. He's a senior-to-be from Tigard High who has lettered three times for the Beavers.

Gorton played for Madison in the Northwoods League in 2010 and for Wenatchee in the WCL in 2009. He was all-league and all-state at Tigard his junior and senior years.

Pitchers Matt Pechmann of Mt. Hood CC, Tyler Duffin of the College of Southern Idaho and Justin Hepner of San Diego State were released.

Pechmann was 0-2, 2.75 in seven games; Duffin was 0-0, 9.00 in four games and Hepner was 0-1, 5.79 in three games. Hepner also caught briefly in two non-league games but did not appear as a position player in a league contest.