Knights club WCL Portland Dukes 9-2 to extend winning streak to 7 games.
June 22, 2009
Second baseman Josh Hogan (pictured) of University of Oregon went 2-for-3 and stole five bases before a Monday night crowd of 672. Hogan and the Knights ran all over the WCL Portland Dukes as Corvallis swiped nine bags in the Knights 9-2 victory to extend the club's winning streak to seven games.
"It was fun," Hogan said. "I don't think I've ever stole five bases since maybe Babe Ruth or Little League."
The Knights offense really got rolling in the fourth-inning when George Fox shortstop Taylor Hunter and Washington State centerfielder John Desmarais led-off the inning with back-to-back singles. Hogan followed with a single of his own, scoring Hunter and moving Desmarais to second. Desmarais and Hogan then executed a double steal putting runners at second and third, and Desmarais scored on a Carter Bell groundout to third.
Hogan then stole third and scored when Billy Clontz of Western Oregon reached on an error. After Clontz stole second, Dylan Jones of Mt. Hood CC and Brent Warren of OSU followed with walks loading the bases for first baseman Taylor Ard of Mt. Hood CC. Ard promptly stroked a single to left scoring both Jones and Clontz giving the Knights a 6-0 lead.
"We started out pretty quiet with the bats and then I guess we decided to get good swings on some balls," said manager Brooke Knight. "We were pretty aggressive on the bases and Dustin did a nice job on the mound."
Corvallis starter Dustin Emmons of UC Riverside recorded his second win in his second start tossing six solid innings giving up only one run on five hits while striking out 6. Emmons' outing was the team's tenth straight quality start.
"I just tried to pound the strike zone," Emmons said. "I've been working on a change-up and I threw a lot of those today. More than my slider, and my slider is usually what I use as my get out pitch. I threw a lot of pitches, but my defense they made the plays for me and the offense picked me up. The credit is to them, more than me."
The Dukes picked up their second run in the seventh off Corvallis reliever Ben Guidos of University of Washington.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Knights tacked on three more runs when Bell of Oregon State singled to center, stole second and scored on a fielding error that allowed Clontz to reach first safely. Clontz stole his second base of the game and after Jones was hit, both would advance on a wild pitch. Both Jones and Clontz scored on a single to right by Warren.
"This is really important even though these games aren't league games," Hogan said. "We've been swinging the bat well and we need to keep doing that, keeping our confidence up for when we get back into league."
Three Knights collected multiple hits. Desmarais finished 2-for-4 while Hogan and Ard went 2-for-3.
Warren and Ard both knocked in two runs and Hogan, Clontz and Jones each scored twice.
UC Irvine soph right-hander Nick Hoover closed the game throwing two scoreless innings while recording two strikeouts.
With the win, Corvallis improved its overall record to 10-3.
The Knights continue its sixteen-game home stand with a non-conference game Tuesday night vs. the Redding Colt .45s. It will be the first meeting between the two teams.
You can listen to all the Knights games on KEJO 1240 AM. Mike Parker - the voice of the Knights - calls all the action.
