Eberhardt stymies Kitsap, Knights take 7-3 win.

Pitcher Sean Eberhardt's quest for full-time status received another significant boost on Thursday night as he led Corvallis to a 7-3 victory over Kitsap at Goss Stadium.

A junior to-be at George Fox University on a 10-day contract, the Rex Putnam High graduate was stellar again in his second appearance of the season. He allowed just two runs and six hits in six-plus innings and put the Knights (4-5 overall, 3-5 WCL) in position to end a two-game losing streak in a brisk two hours, 21 minutes before a crowd of 811.

Eberhardt struck out three, issued only one walk and blanked the Blue Jackets (3-5) for six innings before tiring in the seventh. He got 12 outs via ground balls, and also picked two runners off base to earn his first victory. He is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings, with seven strikeouts.

And the Corvallis offense did its part by erupting for six runs in the sixth inning to snap a scoreless tie. The first five batters reached safely and DH Stephen Nogosek capped the rally with a two-run single.

"It means a lot, it's a big win the bats came alive today," said Eberhardt, who threw 6.1 scoreless innings of relief at Wenatchee in his only previous appearance. "It was nice the bats and the pitching went hand-in-hand tonight."

Kitsap starter Gary Steindorf matched Eberhardt zero for zero through five innings before being relieved by Spencer Hansen to start the sixth. Held to only two hits by Steindorf, the Knights capitalized quickly on the pitching change.

Shortstop Mike Lucarelli doubled and Blake Drake, Nick Ruppert and Dane Lund singled to make it 2-0 and drive Hansen from the game. Kevin Kline greeted reliever Danny Thompson with an RBI double, and a fourth run scorerd on a wild pitch. Nogosek sent the final two home with a base hit to right field.

Nogosek also did his part on the mound after relieving Eberhardt with a run in and the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh. He escaped the jam with just one run scoring, and then pitched a perfect eighth before Chad Michaud finished up.

Corvallis also shone defensively besides Eberhardt's two pickoffs. Lucarelli threw out two runners trying to advance to third and had 10 total assists, the last as the middle man of an 8-6-5 gem that nailed Francisco Torres for the first out of the ninth when he tried to stretch a double.

The series concludes at 6:40 p.m. Friday. Grand Canyon University freshman left-hander Andew Naderer, a PacWest Conference all-star, will make his debut with the Knights.