Saenz's key single leads Knights over Bend in opener.

A two-run single by Greg Saenz (pictured) drove in the decisive runs in the ninth to give the Knights a 2-1 win over Bend on Friday in their WCL opener.

The Knights (2-0 all, 1-0 WCL) snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Elks (0-1), the defending WCL champions. Corvallis defeated the Elks in last year's season-opener, then lost the final eight regular-season games between the teams and was swept in the playoffs.

Corvallis trailed 1-0 heading into the ninth after Bend broke a scoreless tie in the home eighth. In the ninth, Roman Garcia (San Diego) singled and Parker Woodley (Clark College) walked. Garcia was thrown out at home on Nick Kahle's (Washington in 2016-17) single, but Woodley and Kahle moved into scoring position on the play.

Saenz, a third baseman who just completed his sophomore year at Grand Canyon, then bounced a single over the shortstop's head into left field to score Woodley and Kahle with the tying and go-ahead runs. Lefty Chase Kaplan (Western Nevada), a returnee from 2015, then pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

Corvallis starter Trenton Dupre (Washington State) allowed three hits over six innings and struck out seven, with no walks. He retired the final 14 Elks he faced in order.

Relievers Cameron Richman (Portland), Ryley Widell (WSU) and Kaplan finished up. Widell got the win.

The Elks broke a scoreless tie in the eighth on a single, a sacrifice and an RBI double by Oregon State signee George Mendazona, the grandson of former OSU basketball/baseball great Jim Jarvis.

The series resumes at 6:35 p.m. Saturday; righty Chris Carns (Clark College) will start for the Knights; Bend�s starter is TBA. It concludes at 5:05 p.m. Sunday; lefty Aaron Pope (Dixie State) is the scheduled starter for the Knights.

The Knights play their first nine games on the road. Their WCL home opener is June 14 against Kelowna, the 2015 WCL runner-up.