Sellout crowd of 2,930 at Goss Stadium sees Bend tip Corvallis.

Four scoreless innings by reliever Scott Schultz (pictured) kept the Knights close but they couldn�t rally in the 5-2 loss to the Elks.

An Oregon State sophomore-to-be, Schultz replaced starter Max Beatty in the fifth with the Knights trailing 5-2. He retired the first 10, and 12 of 13 Elks (13-11) he faced to give the Knights (15-10 overall, 14-10 WCL) a chance but they squandered several opportunities and lost for the third time in their last four games.

The crowd of 2,930 was the Knights� third straight OSU Federal Credit Union Fireworks Night sellout and matched the second-largest in team history. It had something to cheer about immediately as the Knights loaded the bases with no outs and scored twice in the first inning on RBI groundouts by David Andriese and Jimmy Allen.

However, a two-run, two out single by Kyle Buchanan sent the Elks ahead 3-2. Second baseman Michael Benjamin drilled a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the fourth to stretch the lead to 5-2.

A rising sophomore at Arizona State and the son of former major-leaguer Mike Benjamin, the younger Benjamin homered, doubled and singled to lead an 11-hit attack. Oregon State shortstop Ryan Dunn also had three hits.

Designated hitter Sean Myrom and Scott had two hits each for Corvallis.The Knights still lead the West Division by one-half game over Cowlitz and by on egame over Bend and Kitsap.

Bend starter Denver Chavez and reliever Joey McClung stymied the Knights over the final eight innings. Corvallis left two runners on in the fourth and McClung fanned Corey Davis and retired Kramer Scott on a ground out to end the inning after the Knights had loaded the bases in the seventh.

Corvallis also had the tying run at bat in the ninth but was unable to dent McClung, a sophomore at Middle Tennessee State. He recorded six of his eight outs via strikeout and earned his first save.

The capacity crowd upped the season's total attendance to 17,490. The Knights are on a record pace and have drawn nearly 5,000 more fans in 2011 than through a corresponding period in 2010.

The Knights go to Bend for games on Monday and Tuesday. They then head for Kelowna, British Columbia on Wednesday and start a three-game series with the Falcons on Thursday night.

Righty Mitch Patito (0-0, 1.29), who pitched four scoreless innings in a 5-2 victory at Kitsap last Tuesday, will start for the Knights, opposed by Bend righty Kurt Jahnke (0-1, 1.53).

The Knights' next home game is July 11 against Kitsap. It�s a $1 Hot Dog Night and an Emmons Meat Market Miser Monday; $3 general admission coupons are available at the store, east of Corvallis on Highway 34.