Knights take game one of WCCBL Championship Series 6-4 in epic 11-inning battle at Wenatchee.

Doug Cherry (pictured) of University of Washington went 4 for 5, reached base six times and played a spectacular third base to lead the Knights to victory. Corvallis and Wenatchee went toe-to-toe for 11 innings with the Knights coming out on top thanks to a two-run eleventh to take a 1-0 series lead.

The Knights took an early 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI double by Kyle Stalker of Willamette in the third inning. Stalker's double would have scored two, but it bounced over the leftfield wall for a ground rule double.

Corvallis threatened in each of the first six innings, but the AppleSox wiggled out of trouble time and time again as the Knights left 13 men on base. For the game, Corvallis stranded a season high 22 men on base.

The AppleSox took its first lead in the sixth as Wenatchee finally got to Corvallis starter Jon Berger of San Diego State. With one out, Chris Escobar of University of San Francisco reached first on a bloop single to center. Escobar advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Hawkins Gebbers' RBI single. Luke Zirkle followed with a double to put runners at second and third and then Jimmy Patterson of Central Arizona put the Sox ahead 2-1 with a sacrifice fly. Up a run, the Sox tallied a third run when Knights' rightfielder Billy Clontz dropped a fly ball off the bat of Stephen Yarrow of University of San Francisco allowing Zirkle to score.

Down 3-1, the Knights responded with a run in the 7th as Dean Green of Oklahoma State doubled home John Wallace of Oregon State, who led off the inning with a walk. Green was cut down trying to stretch a double into a triple, making the inning's first out at third.

Liam Baron of Linn-Benton CC pitched a perfect eighth to keep the score 3-2 Sox going to the 9th.

In the ninth-inning, the Knights loaded the bases as Adam Melker of Cal Poly led off with an infield hit, Wallace reached on a bunt single and after a sac bunt by Green and fielder's choice ground out by Alex Burg of WSU, Josh Hogan of Mt. Hood CC walked. That brought up Cherry with two outs and the sacks juiced. Cherry worked a walk to tie the game.

Geoff Nichols, a junior-to be at Oregon, tossed a scoreless ninth to send the game into extra innings.

The Knights scored a run in the tenth compliments of a bases loaded one-out RBI single by Green, but once again the Sox escaped big trouble by recording the next two outs without allowing a run.

Up 4-3, skipper Brooke Knight turned to closer Taylor Starr of Oregon State. Starr gave up a lead-off single to Sean Montplaisir of University of Hawaii. After a flyout, Montplaisir stole second and moved to third on the play as Burg's throw sailed into centerfield. With Gebbers up, Montplaisir scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Starr.

Gebbers then walked and moved to second on a single Zirkle. The next batter, Patterson appeared to single to left, but Gebbers made a step back to second on the hit and was thrown out at third by Wallace to record the Knights' second out of the inning. Starr then induced Yarrow to ground out to second to send the game to the 11th.

In the eleventh, Cherry led off with a walk. Following the walk, Wenatchee changed pitchers and asked Patterson, their rightfielder, to hold the Knights at bay. After a passed ball advanced Cherry to second, Patterson nailed Cherry at third on a sac attempt by Knights' shortstop Richie Jimenez. After Corvallis rightfielder Billy Clontz struck out, Jimenez stole second. That brought up designated hitter Bryant Kraus of University of Portland, who singled sharply up the middle to score Jimenez and put the Knights ahead 5-4. After a wild pitch and walk to Melker, Wallace doubled down the leftfield line scoring Kraus.

Up 6-4, the Knights sent Starr back to the mound to finish things. The WCCBL's saves leader walked the lead-off hitter and then struck out the next three batters to earn the win. With the victory, the Knights take a 1-0 lead in the Series.

Corvallis heads home for game two and game three (if necessary) at Goss Stadium on Monday, August 18 and Tuesday, August 19. The Knights probable starter for Monday is Josh Osich of Oregon State.

Monday's game is a $1 Hot Dog Night. It's also Kids Dash for Cash Night as children 12 & under can dash for $1,000 in cash during the game.

Game two will be broadcast by 990 AM The Legend. Mike Parker, the voice of the Knights, calls all the action.

Game notes:
* It was 105 degrees at game time.
* Game one drew 980 AppleSox fans. Wenatchee's total attendance for 2008 was 41,880.
* The game changing play occurred in the 7th inning as Cherry started a 5-2-3 doubleplay on a bases loaded grounder by Gebbers to end the inning.