Knights drop opener 7-6 in extra-innings to Kitsap after erasing an early 4-1 deficit.
June 5, 2010
The Kitsap BlueJackets won its home opener by drawing a walk-off walk.
Corvallis opened the 2010 season with a tough 7-6 extra-inning loss at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds.
Kitsap jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but the Knights scratched back scoring a single run in the fourth and two in the sixth to knot the score.
The Knights made it 4-2 on a bases loaded RBI fielder�s choice groundout by Tony Flanagan of Concordia.
In the sixth, junior outfielder Tim Reavis of Concordia delivered a clutch two-out RBI single scoring outfielder Micheal Blake who had opened the inning with a single. Flanagan followed with a sharp single to center, then Reavis and Flanagan advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, and Reavis scored on a wild pitch strikeout with second baseman Jake Rodriquez reaching first safely.
Reliever Taylor Hill of Clackamas CC held the Jackets at bay in the bottom of the sixth to post his third consecutive scoreless inning after replacing starter Aaron Corwin in the third inning with the bases loaded.
Hill escaped the third by striking out two BlueJackets keeping the Knights in the game.
In the top of the seventh, first baseman Thomas McCarthy, who doubled in a run in the third inning, led-off the inning with a walk and moved to third on an errant pick-off by Kitsap southpaw Richie Mascheri.
After outfielder Daniel Dillard grounded out to second with the infield pulled in, McCarthy scored on a wild pitch to give Corvallis its first lead.
Blake then walked, stole second and scored on Griffin Boyd�s (pictured) second hit of the game, a double to left-center.
Up 6-4 heading to the final frame of a 7-inning game, Hill walked the first two Jackets on eight pitches. After getting an out on a sacrifice hit, Hill was replaced by AJ Burke of Linn-Benton CC.
Burke got Kyle Baskett of Sac State to ground out scoring a run, then Burke walked the next batter before giving up a game-tying single to center to Dan Zylstra of Oklahoma State.
Command continued to be an issue for Knights� pitchers in the bottom of the eighth, an extra-inning because of Saturday's doubleheader (all doubleheaders in the WCL are 7-inning games).
Burke hit the lead-off batter, and after recording an out on a sacrifice bunt, AJ walked the next batter, got a ground ball out that advanced both runners, and then preceded to walk the next two batters to give Kitsap the rare walk-off walk win.
In total, Corvallis hurlers issued 10 walks and hit 4 batters.
The Knights look to earn their first win in game two of the doubleheader. 2009 All-WCL pitcher Kyle Kraus of University of Portland is slated to start for Corvallis.
Game two recap:
The Corvallis Knights earned a doubleheader split by beating Kitsap 2-0 in game two. (read more)
