Knights shutout Bells 7-0 before crowd of 1,018, take game one of home WCL series.
June 19, 2009
Frosh All-American Sam Gaviglio (pictured) of Oregon State earned his first Knights win by tossing six scoreless innings.
Gaviglio, Eric Young of Riverside CC and Dylan Jones of Mt. Hood CC combined on a four-hit shutout to beat the Bells in the series opener at Goss Stadium.
Gaviglio got plenty of run support as the Knights got things started in the fourth-inning with two outs when centerfielder Pat Colwell of San Diego State delivered a two-run bases loaded double down the rightfield line to put Corvallis up 2-0.
Lead-off hitter Doug Cherry followed Colwell's game-winning hit with a two-run single, giving the Knights a 4-0 lead.
"Thank God it stayed fair," Colwell said. "It was a good two-inches from the line. That was a great at bat by [Cherry] just to stretch the lead for Sam and our other pitchers to do what they do."
Corvallis plated three more in the bottom of the sixth when Colwell led-off with a single up the middle. Colwell advanced to second on a Cherry groundout and then swiped third base uncontested. After Brett Warren of Oregon State drew a walk, first baseman Taylor Ard, a soph-to-be at OSU, scored Colwell on a fielder's choice ground out.
"I was really happy for Pat," said manager Brooke Knight. "He came in hot and hit a little funk. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes that's what happens when you show up for early work, you try and make adjustments then he rewards himself by getting it done."
With Ard at first, frosh Carter Bell of OSU doubled to left-center knocking in Taylor. Bell then scored on a single to left by Richie Jimenez of Riverside CC to wrap up the scoring.
Four Knights finished the game with two hits, led by Colwell who was 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Cherry went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Dylan Jones continued to swing a hot bat going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jimenez collected two hits in three at bats.
Gaviglio threw six innings allowing only three hits while walking one and striking out 7 to earn his first victory as a Knight.
"We love it when pitchers throw strikes," Colwell said. "It keeps us on our toes, when pitchers throw strikes it leads to a lot of contact. We get to make a lot of plays because there are not a lot of walks and hit by pitches."
RCC's Eric Young threw two shutout innings and Jones closed the game out tossing a hitless ninth.
Soph James Nygren of Oregon State is the probable starter for game two of the series.
Catch the game on KEJO 1240 AM. Mike Parker - the voice of the Knights - calls all the action.
