Knights tip Bells 2-1, capture key WCL series.

A single by Marc Gallegos (pictured) with one out in the eighth inning knocked in the decisive run as Corvallis edged Bellingham 2-1 on Saturday to win the series.

Dane Lund (Oregon State) walked leading off the eighth. He advanced to second on a sacrifice by Dalton Kelly (UC Santa Barbara) and scored when Gallegos (Corban) poked a single through the right side into right field.

Relievers Chris Haddeland (Linfield) and Brandon Choate (Washington) then held the Bells scoreless in their final two at-bats and the South Division-leading Knights (27-12 all, 23-13 WCL) headed into the all-star break with their fifth consecutive WCL series victory.

The runaway leader in the West Division, Bellingham (26-9) won Thursday's series opener 4-1. But Corvallis prevailed 2-0 on Friday night, setting up Saturday night's rubber match. Bellingham scored just one run in the final 25 innings of the series after hitting two-run homers in the first and second innings on Thursday.

Haddeland allowed one run and two hits and had five strikeouts in 3.2 innings after relieving starter Justin Calomeni (Cal Poly). Choate came in with two outs in the ninth and a runner on second and struck out Garret Harpole on four pitches to record his second save in as many nights and his seventh this summer.

Calomeni had five strikeouts, allowed two hits and walked three in five scoreless innings in his finest performance of the summer. He left with a 1-0 lead but was not involved in the decision.

Corvallis scored its other run in the third inning when Scott Quinlan (UC Santa Barbara) singled, moved to second on Michael Lucarelli's (Portland) sacrifice and then came home on an errant throw on a steal of third.

Bellingham tied it in the sixth against Haddeland on a single, a balk and a single. That ended a 20.2-inning scoreless streak by Knights pitchers in the series.

Grant Melker (San Diego) had three hits; and Quinlan and Gallegos two for the Knights. Corvallis is 12-3 in its last 15 WCL games and maintained a two-game lead over Bend in the South Division pennant race.

The Knights are idle on Sunday; six Knights will play in the WCL All-Star Game/Home Run Derby on Monday night at Klamath Falls. Corvallis resumes league play against Kitsap at Silverdale, Wash., on Tuesday night.