Knights hammer 3 homers in 12-2 rout of Bend Elks. Corvallis extends West lead to 7 games.

Adam Melker (pictured) of Cal Poly homered, threw out a runner at home plate and collected 2 RBI.

Knights' gritty centerfielder Adam Melker set the tone early with a spectacular diving catch to rob Bend lead-off hitter Brendan Gardner-Young of UW of a base hit. Later in the first inning, the junior-to be from Claremont, California threw out Drew Heid of Gonzaga at home plate trying to score from second on a single to end the inning.

In the third inning, the left-handed hitting outfielder blasted a solo homerun to put the Knights up 3-1.

Melker went 1 for 3 on the night with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Unfortunately, Adam was injured on a play at the plate in the 8th as Melker was cut down trying to score from first on a single off the rightfield wall by frosh first baseman D.J. Johnson of Mt. Hood CC.

Elks' catcher Daniel Butler of Arizona accidently cleated Melker on the play. Melker was rushed to the hospital where his cut was stitched by Doctor Rosenberg of St. Charles Hospital. Adam is day-to-day and could be back as soon as the Wenatchee series starting Monday, August 4.

Logan Lotti, a junior-to be at OSU, got things started for the Knights with a solo blast to right off Elks' starter Chad Lynch in the first. Lotti's homer was one of three on the night by Corvallis and was his team leading 5th of the season.

Recent Gresham call-up Bryant Kraus of University of Portland also hammered a solo shot to right for the Knights, his second homer in six at bats for the Corvallis.

The Knights banged out 13 hits and scored in six innings after not scoring a single run until the 14th inning against Gresham last night.

Starter Eddie Orozco of UC Riverside earned the win as the frosh right-hander tossed five solid innings allowing only 5 hits and 2 runs. With the win, Orozco improves to 3-0 on the season.

Juniors Anthony Carrillo of Long Beach State and James McLaughlin of San Diego State shut down the Elks for the final 4 innings as Carrillo tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball and McLaughlin blanked Bend for 2 1/3 innings.

Junior catcher Alex Burg of Washington State went 3 for 4. Johnson went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI and Kraus went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. And Corvallis native Billy Clontz went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.

Bend pitchers hit 7 Knights' hitters.

Corvallis improves to 29-13 overall and 25-9 in the WCCBL with Friday night's victory.

The Knights' magic number to clinch first place in the West is now 1. One Corvallis win or one Bend loss will earn the Knights their second straight West title. The Knights are now 7 games ahead of second place Bend. With tonight's win, Corvallis takes the regular season series vs. Bend as Corvallis has won all four games thus far between the two clubs.

Catch game two of the series at Bend Saturday night on 990 AM The Legend. Mike Parker, the voice of the Knights, calls all the action.

Staff ace Jon Berger of San Diego State is the probable starter for Corvallis.