Bishop, Choate pitch Knights to series win over Kitsap.

Starter Chris Bishop (pictured) tossed six shutout innings and Corvallis edged Kitsap 4-2 to split a DH.

It was the best start of the summer for Bishop, a senior-to-be at Pacific Lutheran in his third season with the Knights. as the right-hander was masterful in game two of the doubleheader versus the Kitsap BlueJackets - the series finale. He threw 61 strikes in 90 pitches, gave up three hits, struck out 5, earned the win and lowered his ERA from 4.88 to 4.01.

Closer Brandon Choate (Washington) went the final two innings of game two and struck out four for his eighth save. He entered with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth; two inherited runners scored but he got a strikeout to end the eighth and fanned two more in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Center fielder Grant Melker (San Diego) had three hits for the fourth straight game and stole two bases for the Knights, who were rained out on Wednesday, forcing Thursday's twin bill. Tim Rausch (Western Oregon) had a two-run triple and two steals and Dalton Kelly (UC Santa Barbara) doubled, singled and drove in a run.

The Knights had 12 steals. Scott Quinlan (UC Santa Barbara) had five, Michael Lucarelli (Portland) three, Melker and Rausch two each. However, they left 10 runners on base.

Corvallis lost game one of the doubleheader 5-3 to the BlueJackets.

The Knights (29-14 all, 25-14 WCL) stayed one game ahead of Bend in the South Division pennant race. The Knights won their sixth series in a row and improved to 14-4 in their last 18 WCL games.

The Knights open a three-game series at Victoria on Friday. Their next home game is Tuesday against South Division rival Bend.