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Bells blank Knights in both ends of DH.

July 4, 2012

Bells blank Knights in both ends of DH.

Catcher/DH Austin Barr (pictured) had three hits to lead an anemic Corvallis offense as the Knights were shut out in both games of a doubleheader for the first time in WCL history.

Corvallis (18-9 WCL, 19-9 overall) was completely stymied by three Bellingham pitchers and managed just six hits combined in the two 7-inning games. It has now lost three in a row heading into Thursday night's series finale.

Bellingham's (17-9 WCL) Corey Carma pitched a complete-game four-hitter in the nightcap. Sean Hartnett and Karl Myers teamed up on a two-hitter in the opener.

In the second game, Barr doubled off the top of the left-field fence with two outs in the seventh inning, giving the Knights once final chance to tie. But pinch-hitter Nick Torres flew out to end the game.

Knights' righty AJ Burke pitched a complete-game three-hitter and had five strikeouts. Jorge Perez also went the distance in the opener and gave up just six hits, but was victimized by three unearned runs.

Burke's lone free pass resulted in the winning run in Game 2. Jonny Locher walked to start the sixth and was sacrificed to second. He moved to third on a single and scored on Johnny Farrington's safety-squeeze single.

In the opener, Bellingham scored two unearned runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth. The game was played under protest by the Knights following an unusual play in the fourth inning. However, after review, the protest was denied later Wednesday night.

In the fourth, Barr dropped a two-out third strike to Nate Causey, and then threw wildly to first, allowing Causey to reach safely. Causey then scored when Knights' left fielder Nate Blackham and shortstop Nate Roberts collided while attempting to catch a popup by Derek Atkinson.

The Knights thought the ball was caught for the third out; the umpires ruled it wasn't. Causey never stopped running scored all the way from first.

Atkinson reached second on the play and he then scored on a single by Kai Hatch. Roberts left the game after the collision but he was not injured seriously.

Knights' coach Brooke Knight said he was playing under protest following Atkinson�s hit. Hoswever, the protest was denied, and the result will stand.

Hartnett allowed two hits over six innings to earn his second victory over the Knights in a week. He threw an eight-inning one-hitter in a 6-0 win at Goss Stadium on June 27.

Perez (2-2) was the tough-luck loser, giving up the three unearned runs on six hits. Corvallis was shut out in both of his losses.

The series concludes at 7:05 p.m. Thursday. Max Beatty (0-0, 0.84) of Pacific Lutheran is the Knights' scheduled starter; Bellingham's is TBA. The Knights then head to Kelowna for a single game at on Friday and a doubleheader there on Saturday to conclude a stretch of 13 games in 12 days.

Their next home game is July 9 against Wenatchee. That is a SNAP Fitness Miser Monday and a $1 hot dog night.

Game 1 box: http://westcoast.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=103250

Game 2 box: http://westcoast.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscoretext.html?gameid=64414