Streaking Knights sweep twin bill over Wenatchee.
July 7, 2016
Right fielder Emilio Alcantar (pictured) used his bat and his arm to lead Corvallis to a 5-3 triumph over the AppleSox on Thursday night in Game 1 of their WCL doubleheader.
The Knights (24-9 overall, 18-9 WCL) then completed the series sweep, and the first half of the two-part West Coast League season, with a 4-1 decision in the nightcap. They improved to 13-3 in their last 16 WCL games and won their sixth series in a row.
A redshirt junior at Lewis-Clark State, Alcantar doubled and scored in the fourth inning, when the Knights trimmed a 3-0 deficit to 3-2. He added an RBI single, a stolen base and a run of his own in a three-run fifth that sent the Knights ahead to stay.
His biggest play, however, may have been on defense when he gunned down Evan Douglas at home plate to end the top of the fifth inning. Douglas tried to score from second on a single but Alcantar charged the ball and unleashed a perfect throw to catcher Zak Taylor, who applied the tag for the out.
That kept the Knights within striking distance at 3-2. They took the lead with the aforementioned three-spot in the bottom half to complete the come-from-behind win.
"Coach [Brooke Knight] was telling us we just needed to put the ball in play," Alcantar said. "It was a rainy day and the pressure is going to be put on the defense if we put the ball on the ground."
Alcantar had three RBIs in the series; he knocked in two in a 3-2 win in Wednesday night's opener. He was hitting .194 on June 20 but raised his average to .241 after the opener by going 12-for-42 (.286) over that 11-game span, with eight RBIs.
"Coach changed up my stance, getting my foot down sooner," he said. "I am seeing the ball better and just trying to get the ball in play."
Shortstop Andy Atwood (Oregon State) added had two hits, two steals, a run and an RBI. Third baseman Michael Farris (UC Riverside) and first baseman Andrew Reichenbach (George Fox) had the other RBIs.
Lefty Jacob Fricke (Western Oregon) pitched four scoreless innings in relief of starter Grant Goodman (San Francisco) and got his second win. He struck out two and retired the final seven AppleSox (10-20 WCL, 0-3 second half) in order.
Goodman was struck in the jaw by a line drive in the second inning. He stayed in the game, however, and pitched two more innings before being relieved by Fricke.
In the nightcap, Farris moved across the diamond to first base and doubled, singled, scored and drove in two to assume the team lead with 15 RBIs. The Knights scored once in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie and added two insurance runs in the fifth.
Center fielder Kyle Nobach (OSU) had two hits and two runs and Atwood and Nick Kahle (Washington in 2016-17) added RBIs.
Branden Cutsforth (Northern Colorado in 2016-17) allowed one run and had seven strikeouts in a complete-game win in his first start of the summer to get the win. Aided by an unusual 1-5-2, 2U double play that ended the second, he retired 15 of the final 18 batters he faced and got two strikeouts to squelch a two-on, one-out jam in the sixth.
The Knights open a three-game series with South Division rival Yakima Valley at 6:40 p.m. Friday. It is MOM Magazine Ladies Night, hosted by Heresco Chiropractic.
It is also a Fred Meyer Family Friday Night. Vouchers are available at the Corvallis or Albany Fred Meyer that can be redeemed at any Friday home game for four reserved seats, four soft drinks, four hot dogs and four popcorns for only $44.
