Kline's grand slam leads Knights to win over Pippins.

Kevin Kline's (pictured) grand slam highlighted an 11-hit attack and Corvallis won its West Coast League series against Yakima Valley on Friday night with an 8-3 victory at Goss Stadium.

Kline's first homer of the season landed on the roof of the batting cages behind the left-field fence and capped a seven-run second inning that sent the Knights (4-3 overall, 3-3 WCL) ahead 8-0. Grant Melker drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single and Tim Rausch added an RBI double, his second hit of the inning.

Kline's blast came on a 1-1 pitch from starter Collin Nord, who was touched for a homer, three doubles, seven total hits and eight runs in his first two innings. Joe Duffin had an RBI double in the first.

"Coach told me to be aggressive," Kline said. "I found the pitch I wanted and drove it out. It was a fastball right down the pipe. I felt like I was seeing the ball well."

The Knights did not score in their final six at-bats and starter Derrick Mahlum was relieved after giving up three runs in the fourth inning. But four relievers combined for five scoreless, hitless innings to give them their first winning streak of the season.

Rising Washington senior Brandon Choate got a double play and a two-pitch save in his first appearance of the season after Michael Kelly walked the bases full with one out in the ninth. Choate had five saves and earned WCL postseason honors for the Knights in 2013.

Duffin doubled twice; Tim Rausch doubled, singled and drove in a run and Michael Lucarelli singled twice and scored for the Knights. Austin Sodders and Stephen White each pitched two scoreless innings of relief; Sodders got the win.

The Knights open a three-game series with Walla Walla at 7:15 p.m. Saturday; fireworks sponsored by Samaritan Health Services will follow the game. Chris Haddeland (0-1, 17.18) of Linfield will start for the Knights, opposed by Jesse Houser (1-0, 3.37) of Walla Walla CC.

Friday's crowd of 724 increased the season total to 4,997 in four home dates. That's 43 more than in 2013 through a corresponding number of openings.