Jackson Soto stars but Knights fall 5-2 to Bend.

Jackson Soto (pictured) reached safely in all four plate appearances but Corvallis lost 5-2 at Bend on Friday night in its West Coast League opener.

Bend broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. It added an unearned insurance run in the eighth after the Knights had drawn within 4-2 in the top half of the inning.

After being stymied on three hits over the first seven innings, the Knights broke through for both runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Marc Gallegos and Soto. However, reliever Louis Cohen got the last two outs in the eighth and retired the Knights in order in the ninth for the save.

A 10-day signee from West Albany High who will play at Oregon State, Soto doubled, singled and was twice hit by a pitch to reach base safely in all four plate appearances. He was the only Knight with more than one hit.

Harrison McGhee got the opening-night start for the Knights and allowed two runs and four hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out six and walked four and took the loss. Jackson Lockwood finished up and also gave up two earned runs in 3.2 innings.

The series resumes at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday. Right-hander Derrick Mahlum, a Northwest Conference all-star at Pacific Lutheran this spring, is the projected starter for the Knights. The series concludes at 5:05 p.m. Sunday.