Knights hold off Portland Stars 8-7 in nonleague tilt.

Shortstop Nate Roberts (pictured) of Seattle singled, doubled, scored twice and drove in three runs and the Knights scored in the eighth to snare the nonleague victory.

The Knights (15-4 overall, 14-4 WCL) blew a 7-0 lead but won in the eighth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Austin Barr that scored a hustling Austin Hamilton. Hamilton walked to lead off the inning, went to second on a single by Nick Torres and moved to third on a walk to Alex Michaels.

Devon Barker of Centralia College pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Starter Carlos Rodriguez had two scoreless innings and relievers Devon Frank, Rob Dittrick, Kyle Hart, Mitch Patito and Barker all had one scoreless inning.

Roberts drove home a run in the fourth and added a two-run double in the fifth, when the Knights scored four times to take what looked to be a comfortable 7-0 lead.

"I felt really good about my play but I was happier we won as a team," said Roberts, who led the WCL with 35 RBIs in 2010 as a Moses Lake Pirate. His 2011 season with the Knights was ended by a hand injury before he played a home game.

"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable hitting," he added. "I've been going to the yard swinging with boys every day and that's really been helping out."

The Stars scored six times in the sixth on four walks, two hit batters and two wild pitches. They tied it in the eighth when another hit batsmen came around to score.

Connor Hofmann singled twice, drove in two, stole two bases and scored and Michaels scored three times for the Knights.

The game did not figure in the West Coast League standings but it was a productive night nonetheless for the Knights. They increased their lead in the West Division to five full games over Bend, which lost a doubleheader at Kelowna.

The Knights resume WCL action against Bellingham at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday at Goss Stadium. Jorge Perez (2-1, 1.13) of Grand Canyon is the Knights' projected starter; Bellingham's is undetermined.

The teams also play at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.