Bullpen shines, Knights tip Gems to take series.

Craig Colen (pictured), Merrick Patito and Jorge Perez blanked Klamath Falls over the final five innings on Sunday and the Knights rallied for an 11-7 win.

The excellent job by the relief corps enabled the Knights (28-19 all, 23-19 WCL) to remain in first place by one game over Yakima Valley in the race for the West Coast League's wild-card playoff berth. The Pippins won 3-1 at Wenatchee on Sunday.

An incoming freshman at Cal Poly in 2015-16, Colen pitched the fifth and sixth innings and got the win to even his record at 1-1. Patito (Chaffey College) went the seventh and eighth and Perez (Grand Canyon) handled the ninth as the Knights won for the second night in a row to capture the series 2-1. They allowed just two hits and had four strikeouts.

Corvallis led 5-1 early but the Gems (9-33) rallied for five runs in the third to take a 6-5 lead. Klamath Falls led 7-6 after four but the Knights tied the game in the fifth and then scored four times in the seventh to break the 7-7 standoff.

Second baseman Nick Madrigal (Oregon State in 2015-16) doubled twice, singled, stole a base, drove in two and scored once to lead the offense. Third baseman Christian Donahue (Oregon State) had three hits and three runs and shortstop Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara) had two hits, two runs, three steals and an RBI.

Center fielder Emilio Alcantar (Lewis-Clark State in 2015-16) and first baseman Jackson Soto (Oregon State) drove in two runs apiece. DH Cole Kreuter (UC Irvine) singled, scored twice and stole three bases.

Corvallis also had three double plays, including an around-the-horn twin-killing to end the game.

The Knights are idle on Monday and then begin a three-game home series with the Gems on Tuesday night. It is Holiday Inn Express Baseball Giveaway Night; the first 500 fans receive a free baseball, courtesy of the Holiday Inn Express.