Bellingham tops Knights 5-2, forces decisive Game 3.

The Bells forced a Game 3 of the WCLCS by defeating Corvallis 5-2 before a playoff-record crowd of 1,903 in Game 2 of the finals.

The winner-take-all finale is set for 6:40 p.m. Tuesday at Goss Stadium. Second-team all-WCL lefty Cameron Bishop of UC Irvine will start for the Knights, opposed honorable-mention all-WCL righty Joey Matulovich of California.

The Knights took Game 1, 4-0, in Bellingham on Aug. 13, and entered Monday's game poised to capture their fourth WCL championship. However, they were stymied on seven hits by three Bellingham pitchers and were unable to seal the deal.

First baseman Roman Garcia (pictured) of San Diego doubled, singled and drove in a run. Second baseman Matt Kelly (Portland) also doubled, singled and scored; shortstop Andy Atwood (Oregon State) had an RBI and left fielder Taylor Travess (Mt. Hood) singled twice and scored for the Knights.

Bellingham scored once in the first inning, and then broke a 1-1 deadlock by rocking Corvallis starter Hazahel Quijada for three runs in the fourth. The Knights (44-21) were unable to come back over the final five innings and their season was extended for one more day.

Bellingham starter Jon Olsen, a second-team all-star, allowed three hits over seven innings and retired 12 of the final 13 hitters he faced after surrendering Garcia's leadoff double in the fourth inning. He struck out eight, walked one and allowed only two runners to reach second base.

The Knights scored once in the eighth to trim Bellingham's lead to 5-2, but they stranded runners at the corners. They loaded the bases with two outs in the last of the ninth but Kyle Nobach (OSU) grounded into a force out at second to end the game.

The Knights captured WCL Championships in 2008 (Wenatchee), 2011 (Walla Walla) and 2013 (Wenatchee). They lost in the finals in 2007 (Moses Lake), 2009 (Wenatchee), 2012 (Wenatchee) and 2014 (Bellingham).

They are 0-2 in Game 3�s, having lost to Wenatchee in 2012 and Bellingham in 2014 in winner-take-all scenarios. Both games were on the road.