Knights drop series opener to Kitsap 4-2. BlueJackets score two in the 9th to win it.

Adam Melker (pictured) of Cal Poly went 2 for 4 with a RBI single. But the Knights' offense sputtered Friday night and Kitsap broke a five-game losing streak to Corvallis dating back to last year.

For the second night in a row, Corvallis scored first and rode the arm of a UC Riverside pitcher, this time Eddie Orozco went five innings striking out eight in a no-decision, as the Knights were downed 4-2 by division rival Kitsap.

It looked like it would be the Knights night early as Corvallis scored two in the first to go up 2-0.

Washington second baseman Doug Cherry doubled to lead off the game and moved to third on a fly ball to right by Riverside CC's Richie Jimenez. Logan Lotti, a junior to-be at Oregon State, doubled over the centerfielder's head to score Cherry. Lotti then moved to third on a ground out and scored on Adam Melker's two-out single.

"We battled and started off scoring," Melker said. "We got runners on most of the game, but couldn't get them in."

Kitsap tied it in the fifth. Ex-Knight Cody Bartlett led-off the inning with a single to right and advanced to second on a sac bunt and to third on a wild pitch. Orozco then struck out Jake Owens before issuing a walk to the Jackets' #9 hitter Brain Heere of Kansas putting runners on the corners.

Orozco nearly escaped the inning as Cherry almost made an amazing game changing play as he ranged, dove and fielded Kyle Baskett's ground ball, but the base ump ruled that Cherry's throw pulled first baseman Dean Green off the bag allowing Bartlett to score and Heere to move to third.

Head coach Brooke Knight argued the call, but to no avail.

Orozco, a WCCBL West All-Star pick, then walked the next batter loading the bases for Kitsap power hitter Bucky Aona. He hit Aona on the first pitch to score the game's tying run.

Liam Baron of Linn-Benton CC took over in the sixth and threw two scoreless innings for Corvallis, getting himself out of a bases loaded jam by striking out Baskett in the sixth.

"I didn't really have anything going for me," said Baron. "I could spot up my curve ball and managed to get out of a few tough spots."

Oregon's Geoff Nichols tossed a 1-2-3 eighth-inning of relief and quickly retired the first hitter of the ninth, before surrendering a walk to the pesky Baskett.

The right-hander from Portland then punched out Doug Buser of Oklahoma on a called third strike.

With two outs and two strikes, Nichols gave up a bloop single to right to Aona, advancing Baskett to third. Aona then stole second.

With runners at second and third and two strikes on Max Kwan of University of Washington, a Nichols curveball caught too much of the plate and Kwan hit a hard groundball to the right of Knights' third baseman Billy Clontz of Mt. Hood CC. Clontz knocked down the ball, but threw wildly to first allowing Aona to score from second.

The infield RBI single by Kwan proved to be the game winner as the Knights failed to score in the ninth after putting two runners on base. Corvallis collected 9 hits, but couldn't get the big hit. The Knights also got its lead-off hitter on in 6 of 9 innings, but were only able to score in the first.

"We just didn't give our pitchers run support," Melker said. "I thought they did a good job out there tonight."

Kitsap starter Chad Wagner of Lower Columbia College threw a nine-hit complete game to earn the win.

Corvallis catcher Alex Burg of Washington State went 2 for 3 with a walk. Cherry and Melker went 2-for-4 on the night.

On Date Night at Goss, 538 fans could bid for a lunch date with three Knights. The silent auction featured The Golden Boy, Liam Baron from Down Under!; Southern Comfort, Adam Melker of Cal Poly; and Dandy Dean Green, the Cowboy from Oklahoma State. The Knights' bachelors raised $168.

"I think it was great and felt kind of good," said Melker of being auctioned off.

Kitsap gained a game with its victory over the West division leading Knights. Corvallis is now only up 4 1/2 games over Kitsap and Bend. The Knights overall record dropped to 21-11 and league mark to 19-9.

Game two of the series is Saturday Night at 6:35 pm.

Saturday is Global Communications Bobblehead Night at Goss. First 500 fans who buy a program get a limited edition Mack the Knight bobblehead.

The game can be heard on 990 AM The Legend. Mike Parker, the voice of the Knights, calls all the action.

2008 WCCBL All-Star Jared Eskew (1-0, 1.29) of Cal Poly is the probable starter for the Knights.