Alcantar delivers clutch hit, Knights take series 2-1.

Emilio Alcantar (pictured) had three singles, a run, a steal and the game-winning RBI on Thursday as Corvallis edged Cowlitz 2-1 to win the WCL series.

A recent Lewis-Clark State signee who played at Linn-Benton Community College his past spring, Alcantar hit a two-out, two-strike, bases-loaded single in the seventh inning to plate Clay Fisher (UC Santa Barbara) with the go-ahead run.

Alcantar also singled, stole second and scored on a Christian Donahue (Oregon State) squeeze bunt to put the Knights on top 1-0 in the sixth inning. He raised his average 15 points to .330 and assumed the team lead with 17 RBIs.

"I was seeing the ball well and I was thinking [Cowlitz pitcher Chris Castellanos] was going to come with a fastball, which he did," Alcantar said in recounting his decisive at-bat. "I knew if I got the hit we would have a good chance to win."

The Knights (26-18 all, 21-18 WCL) won their second game in a row to take the series. They also remained tied with Yakima Valley for first place in the multi-team race for the WCL's wild-card playoff berth.

"It feels awesome, I really want to be a part of that playoff race, the same with everyone here," Alcantar said. "We are just battling every night."

Starter Chris Clements (UC Santa Barbara) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings and got the win to even his record at 2-2. He struck out four and did not issue a walk.

Gary Steindorf (Western oregon) pitched a perfect eighth. Harrison McGhee (Concordia) retired Cowlitz in order in the ninth for his second save of the series and his fourth of the summer. McGhee has not allowed a run in nine innings over eight appearances in solidifying the back end of the bullpen.

The Knights head to Klamath Falls on Friday for a three-game series with the Gems at Kiger Stadium. Righty Alex Nesbitt (2-2, 2.50) of Washington is their scheduled starter, opposed by Riley Moore (1-3, 5.06) of St. Martin's.

Their next home game is July 28, also against the Gems, in the opener of their penultimate home WCL series.

Thursday's crowd of 1,455 increased the season attendance to 37,003 in 26 dates. The Knights are 4,700 fans ahead of their 2014 total through a corresponding number of openings.