Sherfy accepts Team USA invitation

There's no better way to start off the day at the WWHQ than with us reporting some good news about a member of the Corvallis Knights family.

Not sure how we missed this last week, but Oregon sophomore closer Jimmie Sherfy, a supreme late-season set-up man on our 2011 West Coast League championship team, has been selected to Team USA for this summer.

Sherfy is 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA and a school-record 16 saves. He has 82 strikeouts in 52 innings heading into today's game with Portland and this weekend's series at Oregon State.

Team USA will play nine games at its National Training Complex on Cary, N.C., and at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park from June 25-July 3 before embarking on a five-game series at Latin American Stadium in Havana, starting on July 5.

Maybe Jimmy can give a shoutout to noted Cuban baseballl fan Fidel Castro for us. He's bviously a Knights supporter, as indicated by this picture of the retired dictator with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

From there, the club will play at the Honkbal-Haarlem Baseball Week in Haarlem, The Netherlands, from July 14-22. Team USA will play Japan, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Chinese Taipei and The Netherlands, and other national teams.

He's the second Knight in the last two seasons to play for our national team. Oregon State lefty Matt Boyd, a star on our 2010 team, played for Team USA last summer.

So, congrats to the Sherf!

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We've finally hit single figures. It's just nine days until our June 1 opener at Walla Walla against the Sweets in a rematch of the 2011 WCL Championship Series, when we swept the Sweets in two games.

And it's just 13 more days until our June 5 home opener at Goss Stadium against the Klamath Falls Gems. So come see us at the Knights' WWHQ in the Madison Plaza building in beautiful downtown Corvegas and make sure you've got your tickets and team merchandise.

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We've got some exciting news to report about one of our all-time great Knights, infielder Bobby Scales, a one-time Michigan star who played for us in 1997.

One of nine former Knights to play in the majors, Scales has signed with the Orix Buffaloes, a member of the Pacific League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the major leagues of Japan. He arrived in Japan late last week.

Scales went from Buffalo to the Buffaloes. Orix bought his contract from the New York Mets; Scales had been playing with the Buffalo Bisons, the Mets' affiliate in the triple-A International League. He was hitting .339 in 32 games in Buffalo.

It's his second stint in Japanese baseball. He played for the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011 after starting the season with the Iowa Cubs in the Pacific Coast League.

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We've got some more all-star honors to announce.

Pacific University pitcher Rob Dittrick, a 2012 10-day signee, and 2011 Knights' pitcher Brian Ranta of George Fox have been named second-team West Region all-stars by D3baseball.com. PLU outfielder Jacob Hoffman, a projected 2012 Knight who instead will miss the season with a shoulder injury, was also a second-team all-star.

Dittrick was 8-2, 2.87 and Ranta was 7-1, 1.95 this season; Hoffman hit .344, with four homers and 32 RBIs. All three made the Northwest Conference all-star team. Ranta was the NWC Pitcher of the Year; Dittrick won the award in 2011.

Dittrick will be in uniform in Walla Walla on June 1.

Former Knights catcher Corey Davis (2010-11) of Wright State (Ohio) was named a first-team Horizon League all-star. Davis hit .299 with three home runs and 31 RBIs, scored 37 runs and led the team with 16 sacrifice bunts. The 2011 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, Davis was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week on April 2 and as the College Sports Madness Horizon League Player of the Week on May 14.

And former Knights' catcher Bo Altobelli (2010) of Texas Tech was an honorable mention Big 12 all-star. Bo hit .346 in 52 games, with three homers and 33 RBIs.

So, congrats to all five shining Knights!

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Pretty light day of college action for our 2012 Knights. Here's a roundup:

* UC Irvine's Chris Rabago was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI and Mark Trentacosta had one strikeout and did not allow an earned run in two innings in a 10-2 loss to UCLA. Evan Brock (2010)was the loser, as he gave up three runs in five innings, with four strikeouts.

* UC Santa Barbara's Greg Mahle doubled, scored and drove in two runs in four at-bats in a 6-3 victory over USC.

* Seattle U infielder Nate Roberts was 1-for-4 with a run and infielder Trent Oleszczuk (2011) was 0-for-3 with a run in a 5-4 loss to Washington.

That's it for 2012 Knights.

In other West Coast games involving players with Knights connections, UC Riverside pitcher Mitch Patito (20109-11) gave up three runs in seven innings and was the loser and outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) was 0-for-3 in a 3-0 setback at Loyola Marymount.

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We've got two Corvallis Knights Minor League Players of the Day from the Class A California League to honor this morning.

* Visalia (Arizona) third baseman Carter Bell (2009) was 3-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI in a 14-6 loss to Bakersfield. Bell is hitting .303 in his last 10 games and has raised his average more than 100 points to .243, with a homer and 13 RBIs.

* Lake Elsinore (San Diego) pitcher Matt Andriese (2009) allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings in a 6-0 win over Modesto. Andriese struck out five and did not walk a batter. He's now 3-3 with a 3.97 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 45.1 innings.

We'll update the stats of all our minor leaguers in Thursday's blog.

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That's all for today. We'll have more news and some items from elsewhere in the West Coast League in Thursday's blog. See you then!

T-minus 10 and counting

It's T-minus 10 and counting until our June 1 opener at Walla Walla against the Sweets.

That's right. Hard to believe, but a countdown that began at 140-something in January has now reached its final day in double figures. We're leaving Portland at 10 a.m. on June 1 for the bus ride to Eastern Washington and our three-game series at Borleske Stadium.

That also means we're down to 14 days until our own home opener, June 5 against the Klamath Falls Gems at Goss Stadium. We've checked out the extended weather forecast and it looks clear and warm in Walla Walla, and nice and sunny in Corvallis, for those dates.

So stay tuned. The Corvallis Gazette-Times announced some more roster moves in Tuesday's paper, and chances are we'll have a few more before the first pitch is thrown in anger.

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WCL alums have played a huge role in the success of the Oregon baseball team this spring. The Ducks lead the Pacific-12 Conference and are ranked in the top 10 in each poll. Here are more details from the WCL website.

In that vein, here's an interesting story on ex-Knight (2011)/Oregon closer Jimmie Sherfy, a big reason for Oregon's success.

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Former Knights' pitcher Eric Young (2009-11), a senior at the University of Delaware, won his team's Perry Burkett Triple Effort Award for the second year in a row. EY (5-4) leads the Blue Hens with 13 starts and is second in wins (5), innings pitched (79.1), and strikeouts (54).

Delaware plays in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament at James Madison this week as the No. 3 seed. Congrats to EY!

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Third baseman Carter Bell (2009)of Oregon State and the Visalia Rawhide was 1-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a double in a 6-4 loss to Bakersfield on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. Visalia is Arizona's affiliate in the Class A (advanced) California League.

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Almost all of our NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and JC Knights have completed their college seasons. Here's an update:

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Utility Chris Bishop hit .125 (2-16) with three RBIs, and was 3-3, 4.40 as a pitcher, with 40 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. PLU's season is over.

REDLANDS: Pitcher Kyle Hart was 4-4, 5.32, with 41 strikeouts in 71 innings. Redlands' season is over.

GEORGE FOX: Pitcher Alex Keenan was 2-3, 5.19 in 17.1 innings, with 16 strikeouts and three saves. GFU's season is over.

GRAND CANYON: Pitcher Jorge Perez was 3-3, 2.48, with 46 strikeouts in 54.1 innings. Grand Canyon's season is over.

WESTERN OREGON: Outfielder Matt Nylen hit .318 (55-173), with four homers and 41 RBIs. Pitcher A.J. Burke was 3-0, 2.25, with 31 strikeouts and four saves in 36 innings. WOU's season is over.

PACIFIC: Pitcher Rob Dittrick was 8-2, 2.87, with 54 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. Pacific's season is over.

CORBAN: Infielder Marc Gallegos hit .346 (72-208), with 26 RBIs and 33 steals in 40 attempts. Corban's season is over.

RIVERSIDE CC: Outfielder Cade Gotta hit .291 (43-148), with two homers and 19 RBIs. Pitcher Blake Burrell was 7-1, 1.83 in 93.1 innings, with 63 strikeouts. The Tigers' season is over.

COLLEGE OF THE SISKYOUS: Infielder Caylen Clardy hit .277 (31-112) with one homer and 11 RBIs. Siskyous season is over.

MT. HOOD: Pitcher Kendall Motes is 3-2, 3.00, with 41 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. Catcher Dane Lund is hitting .293 (41-140), with no homers and 18 RBIs. Infielder Alex Foulon is hitting .208 (27-130) with 12 RBIs and outfielder Tristan Metcalf is hitting .323 (32-99), with 21 RBIs. Mt. Hood plays Columbia Basin on Thursday at the NWAACC tournament at David Story Field in Longview, the home of the Cowlitz Black Bears.

LINN-BENTON: Utility Austin Hamilton is hitting .186 (22-118) with 10 RBIs and is 3-3, 3.63 as a pitcher, with 19 strikeouts in 39.2 innings. LBCC's season is over.

CENTRALIA CC: Pitcher Devon Barker was 4-4, 1.71, with 44 strikeouts in 52.2 innings, Centralia's season is over.

We'll update the numbers of our Knights' minor leaguers on Thursday.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

COWLITZ: The Black Bears have signed pitchers Taylor Williams (Mt. Hood), Brandon Boyle (Lower Columbia), Leko Galusha (Lower Columbia), and Mikey Murray (Hawaii Pacific), and catcher Konnor Armijo (Santa Ana JC) for the upcoming season. Here are full details from the Our Sports Central website.

The Black Bears also added infielder Adrian Garcia, catcher/infielder Konnor Armijo and outfielder Dylan Jones from Santa Ana College; right-handed pitcher Ryan McCarthy from Rice, and switch-hitting infielder David Edwards from Loyola Marymount. Full details can be found in this story from The Daily News of Kelso-Longview.

WENTACHEE: Paul Thomas St. Field, a place I've never visited but want to, underwent a major renovation in the offseason. According to the AppleSox newsletter:

"The stadium waved goodbye to the Kingdome seats that previously made up the grandstand. The seats were replaced with brand new premium seating to greatly improve the facade of the stadium. Along with improvements to seating the stadium is also set to get a new backstop system this summer."

More info on the stadium is available by clicking right here.

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That's all for today, See you on Wednesday.

Big West honors Armendariz, Stuart

Great news this morning from the Big West Conference, and from the Pacific-12 Conference.

Cal Poly sophomore first baseman David Armendariz, our 2011 Most Outstanding Player, and UC Riverside sophomore lefty Dylan Stuart, a 2011 WCL all-star who will return this summer for his second season, are the BWC's Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

Armendariz had two game-winning RBIs and hot .600 (6-for-10), with a .643 on-base percentage and .900 slugging percentage as the Mustangs defeated CSU Bakersfield and went 3-0 against UC Santa Barbara.

Stuart tossed a six-hit shutout in a 1-0 win against No. 8 Cal State Fullerton. He threw 128 pitches and struck out two to win the award for the second time this season.

Here are the details, from the BWC website. Congratuations!

Also, Oregon State junior Danny Hayes, a 2009 Knight, was named the Pacific-12 Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Here are the details from the OSU website.

Hayes was 8-for-14 (.571) in four games, with three homers and 10 RBIs. He extended his hit streak to a season-high eight games with a ninth-inning double in Sunday's series finale.

Congrats to Danny!

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Former Knights' infielder Dean Green, now with the West Michigan Whitecaps, was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in a 5-4 win over South Bend on Sunday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. The Whitecaps are Detroit's affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

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It's Monday, so we'll update the stats of our 2012 Division I players after another busy weekend around the country.

CAL POLY: Freshman outfielder Nick Torres is hitting .257 (45-175), with five homers and 26 RBIs. Freshman outfielder Alex Michaels is at .407 (24-59) with two homers and 14 RBIs. Freshman pitcher Bryan Granger is 0-1, 4.50, with 16 strikeouts in 24 innings.

OREGON: Sophomore outfielder Connor Hofmann is hitting .258 (32-124), with three homers and 14 RBIs.

OREGON STATE: Freshman pitcher Carlos Rodriguez is 0-0, 5.44, with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Freshman catcher Nate Esposito is hitting .167 (2-12) with two RBIs. Freshman pitchers Mitchell Tripp and Michael McCall haven't played yet.

PORTLAND: Freshman infielder Caleb Whalen is hitting .247 (37-150) with five homers and 24 RBIs. Junior pitcher Chris Johnson is 4-4, 3.39 in 69 innings, with 51 strikeouts. Utility Beau Fraser is hitting .220 (18-82), with one homer and 10 RBIs.

SANTA CLARA: Junior pitcher Chris Mendoza is 1-1, 5.17, with a save and 14 strikeouts in 31.1 innings.

SEATTLE: Junior infielder Nate Roberts is hitting .229 (36-157) with a homer and 17 RBIs.

TEXAS: Sophomore pitcher Trevor Tykel is 0-0, 21.60, with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

TEXAS TECH: Junior pitcher Aaron Corwin was 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA over 12.1 innings, with five strikeouts. TTU's season is over.

UC IRVINE: Freshman infielder/catcher Chris Rabago is hitting .310 (22-71) with nine RBIs. Junior pitcher Mark Trentacosta is 1-0, 3.23 in 30.2 innings, with 24 strikeouts.

UC RIVERSIDE: Sophomore pitcher Dylan Stuart is 7-6, 3.77, with 55 strikeouts in 93 innings. Freshman pitcher Antonio Gonzales is 0-1, 12.46, with 11 strikeouts in 13 innings.

UC SANTA BARBARA: Freshman utility Greg Mahle is hitting .335 (57-170) with no homers and 29 RBIs, and is 2-4, 4.00 as a pitcher, with 43 strikeouts and four saves in 45 innings.

WASHINGTON STATE: Sophomore outfielder Nate Blackham is hitting .268 (26-97) with 10 RBIs.

We'll update our NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and JC players on Tuesday. Most have already completed their seasons.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

BEND: The Elks have added added two Arizona State Sun Devils for 2012. Redshirt freshman Tucker Esmay, from Casa Grande, Ariz., and INF/OF Jake Wakamatsu, from North Richland Hills, Texas, will join the club.

Wakamatsu is the son of former Seattle Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu; Esmay is the son of current ASU head coach Tim Esmay. More details are available by reading the top menu item at the Elks website.

KELOWNA: The Falcons have strengthened their roster by adding All-American Patrick Johnson of Missouri Baptist University. Here's more, from the Kelowna website.

And returning Falcon Andrew Firth and 2011 Falcon David Otterman were named to the All-NAIA West Team for their excellent play this season at the University of British Columbia. Details can be found here.

Knight lose PLU OF Jacob Hoffman, add Tyler Campbell

Busy day at the WWHQ! Lots of action on the ticket front, as we sold a bunch of 3-game miniplans and punch cards. Only 18 days left until opening night; don't get left behind!

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The injury bug continues to bite the Knights.

Our latest casualty is Pacific Luthern sophomore outfielder Jacob Hoffman, a Northwest Conference all-star the past two seasons. We learned on Thursday that the Fircrest, Wash., native will miss the summer with a shoulder injury.

He's the fourth player we've lost in the past two weeks. Knee injuries will sideline Texas infielder Alex Silver and pitcher Justin Peters, and Linfield pitcher Zach Manley was dinged by a sore shoulder.

However, we have added Tyler Campbell, a senior shortstop from Lake Oswego High School who was a Three Rivers League all-sstar as a sophomore and junior and who undoubtedly will earn a third such honor as a senior.

So fear not, we will soldier on. We already have some replacements in mind and we'll have a few more signings before our June 1 opener at Walla Walla, which is just 14 days away.

And injuries and roster turnover aren't that unusual. Four of the eight position players on the field for the ninth inning of our 2012 cchampionship-game win over Walla Walla ( Ryan Gorton, Trent Oleszczuk, Matt Nylen, Kramer Scott) weren't even on the roster when the season started, or were 10-day signees.

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Another light day at the college ballparks around the country for our 2012 Knights. Here's a roundup:

* Texas pitcher Trevor Tykel (2012) gave up four runs in 1.2 innings in a 16-5 loss to Baylor. It was just his second appearance of the season.

* Mt. Hood catcher Dane Lund (2011-12) was a combined 1-for-4 with two runs; shortstop Alex Foulon (2011-12) was 0-for-2 and pitcher Kendall Motes (2012) gave up one run and had two strikeouts in one inning in a doubleheader sweep of Clackamas CC.

* Linn-Benton pitcher/shortstop Austin Hamilton (2012) was 1-for-3 with a run, and gave up three earned runs in 1.2 innings, in a doubleheader split with Lane CC.

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Greensboro pitcher James Nygren (2009) allowed one hit and had one strikeout in two shutout innings to save a 4-1 win over Lakewood on Thursday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. Greensboro is Miami's affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League.

It was a big night all around the minors for ex-Knights.

* Pitcher Matt Andriese of Lake Elsinore (A, Padres) allowed four hits and no earned runs but didn't get a decision in a 3-2 California League win over Bakersfield.

* Infielder Drew Garcia (2007) of Charlotte (AAA, White Sox) doubled, scored twice and had an RBI in a 3-2 International League win at Norfolk.

* And infielder Dean Green (2008) of West Michigan (A, Detroit) was 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run in a 6-3 Midwest League win over Great Lakes.

Stats for all of our minor-league Corvallis Knights were updated in Thursday's blog. And with the MLB draft coming up in three weeks (June 4-6), that list will certainly be getting longer.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

BELLINGHAM: The Bells have hired Damon Lessler as their newest assistant coach. He's an assistant coach at Oakland University in Michigan; here are the details from the Bellingham website.

KITSAP: The BlueJackets will have more of a local feel this season under new coach Ryan Parker. Here are the details from The Kitsap Sun newspaper.

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That's it for the week. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you on Monday!

10-day signee Weir retiring from baseball

Our last-minute roster moves continue, and we're sure to have some more before opening night. So it goes in summer baseball.

Concordia left-handed pitcher Eric Weir, a 10-day signee from Vancouver, Wash., has decided to retire from baseball for family reasons and thus will not play this summer. He was 4-6, 6.82, with 47 strikeouts in 60.2 innings.

Best of luck to Eric.

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Hard to believe that in 15 days we'll be on the bus to Eastern Washignton for our June 1 season opener at Walla Walla, and that in 19 days we'll be opening up Goss Stadium for our June 5 home opener against the Klamath Falls Gems.

So get your tickets and merchandise now, either online or down at the WWHQ in the Madison Plaza building in beautiful downtown Corvegas. We just sold a punchcard, they are going fast!

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Please check out this story from our website on 2011 Knights' pitcher Jimmie Sherfy, a sophomore closer who is having a great year at the University of Oregon. Jimmie gives the Knights a lot of credit for his 2012 success.

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Former Knights infielder John Eshleman (2008) of the Augusta GreenJackets went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI in a 4-2 loss to Rome on Wednesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. Augusta is San Francisco's affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League.

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Not many college games to report on from Wednesday. Here's a roundup of Knights in action:

* Portland was shut out 3-0 at Washington. Freshman third baseman Caleb Whalen (2012) was 1-for-4 for the Pilots.

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Here's our weeekly roundup of Corvallis Knights in minor-league baseball (all stats through Wednesday's games):

NICK AKINS (2007): Now with Rancho Cucamonga (A, Dodgers) in the California League, the former Vanguard outfielder is hitting .255 (25-98) with two homers and seven RBIs.

TYLER ANDERSON (2009): Now with the Asheville Tourists (A, Rockies), the ex-Oregon star is 1-0, 3.60, with two strikeouts in five innings. He became the first former Corvallis Knight to be drafted in the first round in 2011.

MATT ANDRIESE (2009): Now with Lake Elsinore (A, Padres) in the California League, the pitcher from UC Riverside is 2-3, 5.40, with 30 strikeouts in 33.1 innings.

CARTER BELL (2009): Now with Visalia (A, Diamondbacks) in the California League, the former Oregon State infielder is hitting .232 (22-95) with one homer and 11 RBIs.

DANIEL BIBONA (2007): Now with Palm Beach (A, Cardinals) in the Florida State League, the pitcher from UC Irvine is on the 7-day disabled list.

ALEX BURG (2008): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the former Washington State catcher/infielder/outfielder is hitting .203 (13-64) with two homers and seven RBIs.

JOHN ESHLEMAN (2008): Now with Augusta (A, Giants) in the South Atlantic League, the San Jacinto JC infielder is hitting .240 (12-50), with no homers and three RBIs.

ROCKY GALE (2007, 2009): Now back at Lake Elsinore (A, Padres) after a stint at Tucson in the triple-A Pacific Coast League, the former Portland catcher is hitting .192 (5-26), with no homers and one RBI.

DREW GARCIA (2007): Now with Charlotte (AAA, White Sox) in the Intdernational League, the former UC Riverside infielder is hitting .050 (2-25), with no homers and two RBIs.

SAM GAVIGLIO (2009): Now with Quad City (A, Cardinals) in the Midwest League, is 2-2, 4.09, with 18 strikeouts in 33 innings.

DEAN GREEN (2008): Now with West Michigan (A, Tigers) in the Midwest League, the former Oklahoma State/Barry infielder is hitting .259 (38-147), with seven homers and 20 RBIs.

D.J. JOHNSON (2008-09): Now with South Bend (A, Diamondbacks) in the Midwest League, the former Mt. Hood/Western Oregon pitcher is 1-2, 2.254, with three saves and 23 strikeouts in 16 innings.

ADAM MELKER (2008-09): Now with Springfield (AA, Cardinals) in the Texas League, the former Cal Poly outfielder is hitting .224 (22-98), with one homer and seven RBIs.

JIM MURPHY (2007): Now with Clearwater (A, Phillies) in the Florida State League, the former Washington State infielder is hitting .269 (32-119), with four homers and 29 RBIs.

JAMES NYGREN (2009): Now with Greensboro (A, Marlins) in the Florida State League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 1-1, 8.04, with six saves and six strikeouts in 15.2 innings.

JOSH OSICH (2008): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 0-0, 0.00, with a save and 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

GREG PEAVEY (2008): Now with Binghamton (AA, New York Mets) in the Eastern League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 2-1, 5.45, with 24 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.

NICK STRUCK (2010): Now with Tennessee (AA, Cubs) in the Southern League, the former Mt. Hood pitcher is 4-3, 3.86, with 33 strikeouts in 44.2 innings.

ANDREW SUSAC (2009): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the ex-Oregon State catcher is hitting .242 (22-91), with one homer and nine RBIs.

NOT YET ASSIGNED: INF Nic Cuckovich (2011), Riverside CC (Royals); P Dustin Emmons (2009), UC Riverside (Mets); P Scott Lyman (2009), UC Davis (Marlins); OF Dayton Alexander (2011), Feather River CC (Athletics); INF Cody Bartlett (2007), Washington State (Blue Jays); P Michael Blake (2010), Mt. Hood/Hawaii (Diamondbacks).

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

COWLITZ: We may have had this already, but better to report something tiwce than never at all. A left-handed pitcher with international experience and a pair of solid defensive infielders have signed with the Black Bears.

University of Oregon signee Cole Irvin, Santa Ana College shortstop Andy Peterson and Santa Ana first baseman Kyle Kuck will battle for starting assignments in the Black Bears' lineup. Here are the details, from The Daily News of Kelso-Longview.

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That's it for today. See you tomorrow on a TGIF, when your's truly will be co-hosting the Joe Beaver Show with Jon Warren while regular co-host Mike Parker is in Pullman.

Matt Nylen earns all-league honors

First, big thanks to everyone who attended the Joe Beaver Show broadcast at the WWHQ on Tuesday. It was a big success, we love meeting our fans, and now that we've hosted two of them it should turn into an annual event.

All winners of the drawings have been contacted, so please stop by the WWHQ in the Madison Plaza building to pick up your prize!

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Big news from the Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Western Oregon/Knights outfielder Matt Nylen (2011-12) was named a first-team GNAC all-star and pitcher A.J. Burke (2012) earned honorable mention.

Nylen hit .321 (53-165), with three homers and 38 RBIs. Burke was 3-0 with four saves and a 2.41 ERA, with 29 strikeouts in 33.2 innings in the regular season. The Wolves are hosting the four-team NCAA Division II West Regional at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer this Thursday through Sunday.

So, congrats and good luck to Matt and A.J.!

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Lots of Knights in action for their respective college teams on Tuesday. Here's a roundup:

* Oregon State reliever Scott Schultz (2011) threw 4.2 scoreless innings and got the win in a 12-4 victory over Portland. Taylor Starr (2008) gave up four runs in 3.1 innings; Danny Hayes (2009) was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, Jake Rodriguez (2009) was 0-for-3 and Ryan Gorton (2011) was 2-for-4 with a run for the Beavers. Caleb Whalen (2012) was 0-for-3 for the Pilots.

* UC Irvine lost 4-3 to San Diego. Chris Rabago (2012) was 0-for-3; Mark Trentacosta (2011-12) gave up three runs in 2.2 innings; Evan Brock (2009) and Nick Hoover (2009-11) pitched 2.2 and one scoreless inning, respectively, for the Anteaters.

* Big day for Knights/Mustangs in Cal Poly's 6-2 win over Cal State Bakersfield. Alex Michaels (2012) homered, doubled, singled, scored twice and drove in two runs; Nick Torres (2012) was 1-for-5; Mitch Haniger (2010) was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI; Jimmy Allen (2011) doubled, tripled, scored once and drive in a run; David Armendariz (2011) was 1-for-2 with an RBI; Bryan Granger (2012) allowed two runs in 3.2 innings and Chase Johnson (2011) pitched two scoreless innings.

* Washington State outfielder Nate Blackham (2011-12) was 1-for-1 with two RBIs and first baseman Taylor Ard (2009) was 2-for-4 with a run in a 3-1 win over USC.

* LBCC shortstop Austin Hamilton (2012) was 2-for-6 in a doubleheader split with Chemeketa.

* Mt. Hood catcher Dane Lund (2011-12) was 0-for-5 with a run and shortstop Alex Foulon (2011-12) was 1-for-7 with an RBI in a sweep of SWOCC.

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Former Knights catcher Bo Altobelli (2010), a junior exercise and sports science major at Texas Tech, was named a first-team Big 12 Conference academic all-star. Projected 2012 Knight Alex Silver of Texas, who can't play for us because he's having postseason knee surgery, was a second-team choice.

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Visalia third baseman Carter Bell (2009) went 3-for-6 with a homer, two RBIs and a walk in a wild, 26-11 win at High Desert to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. Visalia is Arizona's Class A (advanced)affiliate in the California League.

We'll have updated stats for Bell, who played at Oregon State, and all of our other minor-league Knights in Thursday's blog.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

KLAMATH FALLS: The Gems have signed two full-time and four 10-day players. Here are the details from the Our Sports Central website.

WALLA WALLA: Here is the latest installment of "10 Things to Know About Sweets Baseball," a regular feature on the club's website.

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That's all for today. See everyone on Thursday.

Joe Beaver Show here TODAY!

Today's the day!

May 15 seemed a long ways off when we wrote the reminder on our calendar back in January, but it's arrived, and that can only mean one thing: It's Joe Beaver Show Day at the WWHQ!

The popular KEJO-AM 1240 sports talk show will originate from our offices today, from noon until 2 p.m. Co-hosts Mike Parker, the voice of the Knights from 2007-11, and Jon Warren will talk Knights baseball with Parker's successor, recent Virginia Tech graduate Kevin Burke; with new Knights' assistant coach Andy Jenkins, and with El Presidente, Knights president Dan Segel.

We'll also have free Willie's hot dogs, some prize giveaways and discounted merchandise. So head downtown, where parking is free, and stop in!

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We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the countdown. It's only 17 days until our June 1 opener at Walla Walla against the Sweets, and just 21 until our June 5 home opener with the Klamath Falls Gems at Goss Stadium. Season tickets, 10-game punchcards and opening-night single-game tickets are all available online or at the office.

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We know our roster moves aren't done for the summer, but we don't have any to announce today. So, we'll recap the exploits of past/current Knights who were in action for their respective college teams on Monday:

* Oregon closer Jimmie Sherfy (2011) struck out four in 1.2 scoreless innings for his 16th save in a 6-3 win over USC. "The Sherf" has 78 strikeouts in 51 innings and has held opponents to a .174 batting average. Connor Hofmann (2011-12) was 0-for-1.

* Washington State outfielder Nate Blackham (2011-12) was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI in a 13-8 loss at Cal. WSU first baseman Taylor Ard (2009) was 2-for-5 with four RBIs.

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Clearwater Threshers' first baseman Big Jim Murphy, our 2007 MVP, was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI in a 4-3 loss to Dunedin to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors for Monday. Clearwater is Philadelphia's affiliate in the Class A Florida State League.

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It's Tuesday, so here are the latest stats from our NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and JC Knights:

PACIFIC LUTHERAN: Outfielder Jacob Hoffman hit .344 (45-131) with four homers and 32 RBIs. Utility Chris Bishop hit .125 (2-16) with three RBIs, and was 3-3, 4.40 as a pitcher, with 40 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. PLU's season is over.

REDLANDS: Pitcher Kyle Hart was 4-4, 5.32, with 41 strikeouts in 71 innings. Redlands' season is over.

GEORGE FOX: Pitcher Alex Keenan was 2-3, 5.19 in 17.1 innings, with 16 strikeouts and three saves. GFU's season is over.

GRAND CANYON: Pitcher Jorge Perez was 3-3, 2.48, with 46 strikeouts in 54.1 innings. Grand Canyon's season is over.

WESTERN OREGON: Outfielder Matt Nylen is hitting .321 (53-165), with three homers and 38 RBIs. Pitcher A.J. Burke is 3-0, 2.41, with 29 strikeouts and four saves in 33.2 innings.

PACIFIC: Pitcher Rob Dittrick was 8-2, 2.87, with 54 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. Pacific's season is over.

CORBAN: Infielder Marc Gallegos hit .346 (72-208), with 26 RBIs and 33 steals in 40 attempts. Corban's season is over.

CONCORDIA: Pitcher Eric Weir was 4-6, 6.82, with 47 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. Concordia's season is over.

RIVERSIDE CC: Outfielder Cade Gotta hit .291 (43-148), with two homers and 19 RBIs. Pitcher Blake Burrell was 7-1, 1.83 in 93.1 innings, with 63 strikeouts. The Tigers' season is over.

COLLEGE OF THE SISKYOUS: Infielder Caylen Clardy hit .277 (31-112) with one homer and 11 RBIs. Siskyous season is over.

MT. HOOD: Pitcher Kendall Motes is 3-2, 3.56, with 39 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. Catcher Dane Lund is hitting .296 (40-135), with no homers and 17 RBIs. Infielder Alex Foulon is hitting .208 (25-120) with 11 RBIs and outfielder Tristan Metcalf is hitting .320 (32-100), with 21 RBIs.

LINN-BENTON: Utility Austin Hamilton is hitting .176 (19-108) with nine RBIs and is 3-2, 3.32 as a pitcher, with 19 strikeouts in 38 innings.

CENTRALIA CC: Pitcher Devon Barker was 4-4, 1.71, with 44 strikeouts in 52.2 innings, Centralia's season is over.

We'll update the numbers of our Knights' minor leaguers on Thursday.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

KELOWNA: Falcons' alum Bo Folkinga of Western Oregon won the Great Northwest Conference's triple crown with a stellar season. Here are the details from the Kelowna website.

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That's it for today. Time to prepare for the Joe Beaver Show!

Joe Beaver Show here on Tuesday

Tuesday will be a big day for us down here at the WWHQ, the happiest place on earth, now that the sun is out.

KEJO-AM 1240's popular Joe Beaver Show will broadcast live from noon until 2 p.m. Tuesday from the Knights offices in the Madison Plaza Building in downtown Corvallis (AKA the WWHQ). Co-hosted by former Knights play-by-play broadcaster Mike Parker and Jon Warren, the show free and open to the public, and we encourage you to come down and see us!

The show will feature lots of Knights news, with interviews with the new voice of the Knights, recent Virginia Tech graduate Kevin Burke; new assistant coach/former Knight Andy Jenkins, and Knights president Dan Segel. There will also be free hot dogs and merchandise giveaways and discounts.

KEJO has been the flagship station of the Knights since 2008 (we were on KRKT AM 990 in 2007), and we are looking forward to the second of what we hope will become an annual tradition at Madison Plaza. So head downtown and join the fun!

It's only 18 more days until our June 1 opener at Walla Walla, and a mere 22 until our June 5 home opener against Klamath Falls. So come on down and talk some Knights' baseball!

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Now, onto the rest of the blog.

Our roster continues to evolve as the season approaches.

We've signed Centralia (Wash.) College sophomore left-hander Devon Barker to a 10-day contract. The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Puyallup (Wash.) native is 4-4 with a 1.71 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 52.2 innings this spring.

Two other 10-day signees, Cornell sophomore infielder Ryan Plantier and Redlands junior left-handed pitcher Mike Massari, will not join the club as expected. Plantier can't come because Cornell is playing in the NCAA tournament; Massari had a remote chance of making the team full-time and elected to stay home.

We may have a few more additions and subtractions before opening day, so stay tuned.

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Former Knights' star Corey Davis (2011-12), a senior at Wright State (Ohio), hit .412 as the Raiders went 4-0 last week. He scored five runs, drove in five more, and was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run and two RBIs in a 5-3 win over Youngstown State this past Sunday.

Also, former Knights' pitcher Eddie Orozco (2008-09) and 2012 Knights infielder Greg Mahle of UC Santa Barbara were nominated for Big West Conference Pitcher and Player of the Week, but did not win.

Orozco (5-5) had 12 strikeouts and allowed one unearned run and seven hits in eight innings in a 5-2 win at UOP on May 12. Mahle hit .500 (5-10) with three runs and three RBIs as the Gauchos lost 2 of 3 to Cal State Fullerton.

Oregon reliever Jimmie Sherfy (2011) was nominated for Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week, but did not win. He saved a game against Oregon State and two against USC.

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Former Knights first baseman Dean Green (2008) of the West Michigan Whitecaps homered (No. 7), singled, drove in two runs and scored twice on Sunday in a 5-3 win over Fort Wayne to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. Green played at Oklahoma State and Barry University; West Michigan is Detroit's affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

And speaking of Knights in the pros, infielder Drew Garcia (2007) has been promoted from Class AA Birmingham to triple-A Charlotte. He had a two-run double on Sunday in a 7-6 loss to Buffalo.

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It's Monday, so we'll update the stats of our 2012 Division I players after another busy weekend around the country.

CAL POLY: Freshman outfielder Nick Torres is hitting .263 (42-160), with five homers and 26 RBIs. Freshman outfielder Alex Michaels is at .353 (18-51) with one homer and nine RBIs. Freshman pitcher Bryan Granger is 0-1, 4.43, with 13 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.

OREGON: Sophomore outfielder Connor Hofmann is hitting 56 (30-117), with two homers and 13 RBIs.

OREGON STATE: Freshman pitcher Carlos Rodriguez is 0-0, 5.44, with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Freshman catcher Nate Esposito is hitting .167 (2-12) with two RBIs. Freshman pitchers Mitchell Tripp and Michael McCall haven't played yet.

PORTLAND: Freshman infielder Caleb Whalen is hitting .252 (37-147) with five homers and 24 RBIs. Junior pitcher Chris Johnson is 4-3, 3.50 in 61.2 innings, with 43 strikeouts.

SANTA CLARA: Junior pitcher Chris Mendoza is 1-1, 5.52 with a save and 14 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.

SEATTLE: Junior infielder Nate Roberts is hitting .231 (34-147) with a homer and 15 RBIs.

TEXAS: Sophomore pitcher Trevor Tykel is 0-0, 0.00 in .1 innings in his lone appearance.

TEXAS TECH: Junior pitcher Aaron Corwin is 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA over 12.1 innings, with five strikeouts.

UC IRVINE: Freshman infielder/catcher Chris Rabago is hitting .290 (18-62) with five RBIs. Junior pitcher Mark Trentacosta is 1-0, 2.57 in 29.1 innings, with 22 strikeouts.

UC RIVERSIDE: Sophomore pitcher Dylan Stuartis 6-6, 4.18, with 53 strikeouts in 84 innings. Freshman pitcher Antonio Gonzales is 0-1, 12.46, with 11 strikeouts in 13 innings; freshman Cody Dill hasn't pitched yet.

UC SANTA BARBARA: Freshman utility Greg Mahle is hitting .333 (53-159) with no homers and 28 RBIs, and is 2-3, 3.32 as a pitcher, with 40 strikeouts and four saves in 43.1 innings.

WASHINGTON STATE: Sophomore outfielder Nate Blackham is hitting .267 (24-90) with seven RBIs.

We'll update our NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and JC players on Tuesday. Most have already completed their seasons.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

KELOWNA: The Falcons have signed Oklahoma pitchers Cale Coshow and for the 2012 season.

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That's all for today. See you at the WWHQ on Tuesday!

Knights lose another Longhorn

If bad things do indeed come in threes, the Knights have filled their quota this week.

We learned late Wednesday that Justin Peters, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from the University of Texas, will have knee surgery after the college season and won't join us this summer, as planned. He was 0-0 in .1 innings in his lone appearance this spring.

He's the third player we've lost this week. Linfield pitcher Zach Manley (arm injury) and Texas first baseman Alex Silver (knee) will also miss the summer recovering from their injuries.

So, best wishes to Justin for a quick recovery, and here's hoping this spate of bad luck ends.

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Let's get this blog turned 180 degrees in the other direction, with some good news.

Former Knights infielder Griffin Boyd (2010-11) of Western Oregon, the reigning Great Northwest Conference Player of the Week, was also named the Division II West Region Player of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for his outstanding performance last week against Saint Martin's.

Boyd had 10 hits in 18 at-bats (.556), including four doubles, as the Wolves won 5 of 6 games against Saint Martin's. He also drove in six runs; here are the details from the WOU website. Congrats to Griff!

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More good news, this time from UC Santa Barbara, one of our new partner schools this season.

Freshman pitcher/first baseman Greg Mahle (2012) has joined former Knight Ryan Gorton of Oregon State on the watch list for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. Here are more details from the UCSB website. Congrats to Greg, who will play first base/DH for us this summer.

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We'd love to have UC Riverside junior outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) return for a third season, but we also can't fault him for expanding his horizons. He's headed for the Mankato (Minn.) MoonDogs in the Northwoods League this summer instead; here's the skinny from the MoonDogs' website.

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Former Oregon State catcher Andrew Susac (2009) is our Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day for Wednesday. Now playing for the San Jose Giants, San Francisco's affiliate in the Class A (advanced) California League, he was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run in a 10-9 win over Modesto.

Susac is hitting .247 (19-77) in 22 games, with a homer and seven RBIs.

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Pretty slim day of action on Wednesday for 2012 Knights. Here's a roundup:

* Seattle dropped a doubleheader at Central Michigan. Nate Roberts (2011-12) was 2-for-8 with two RBIs and Trent Oleszczuk (2011) was 3-for-8 with a run and an RBI.

* Mt. Hood swept two at LBCC. Dane Lund (2011-12) was 1-for-7 with two runs and an RBI; Tristan Metcalf (2012) was 2-for-7 with four RBIs and two runs, and Alex Foulon (2011-12) was 1-for-6 with two runs for MHCC. Austin Hamilton (2012) was 0-for-5 for LBCC.

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Here's our weeekly roundup of Corvallis Knights in minor-league baseball (all stats through Wednesday's games):

NICK AKINS (2007): Now with Rancho Cucamonga (A, Dodgers) in the California League, the former Vanguard outfielder is hitting .261 (23-88) with two homers and six RBIs.

MATT ANDRIESE (2009): Now with Lake Elsinore (A, Padres) in the California League, the pitcher from UC Riverside is 2-2, 5.08, with 28 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.

CARTER BELL (2009): Now with Visalia (A, Diamondbacks) in the California League, the former Oregon State infielder is hitting .208 (16-77) with no homers and nine RBIs.

DANIEL BIBONA (2007): Now with Palm Beach (A, Cardinals) in the Florida State League, the pitcher from UC Irvine is on the 7-day disabled list.

ALEX BURG (2008): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the former Washington State catcher/infielder/outfielder is hitting .228 (13-57) with two homers and seven RBIs.

JOHN ESHLEMAN (2008): Now with Augusta (A, Giants) in the South Atlantic League, the San Jacinto JC infielder is hitting .238 (8-34), with no homers and one RBI.

ROCKY GALE (2007, 2009): Now back at Lake Elsinore (A, Padres) after a stint at Tucson in the triple-A Pacific Coast League, the former Portland catcher is hitting .235 (4-17), with no homers and one RBI.

DREW GARCIA (2007): Now with Birmingham (AA, White Sox) in the Southern League, the former UC Riverside infielder is hitting .316, with one homer and 26 RBIs.

SAM GAVIGLIO (2009): Now with Quad City (A, Cardinals) in the Midwest League, is 1-2, 5.04, with 12 strikeouts in 25 innings.

DEAN GREEN (2008): Now with West Michigan (A, Tigers) in the Midwest League, the former Oklahoma State/Barry infielder is hitting .250 (30-120), with six homers and 16 RBIs.

D.J. JOHNSON (2008-09): Now with South Bend (A, Diamondbacks) in the Midwest League, the former Mt. Hood/Western Oregon pitcher is 1-2, 2.57, with two saves and 18 strikeouts in 14 innings.

ADAM MELKER (2008-09): Now with Springfield (AA, Cardinals) in the Texas League, the former Cal Poly outfielder is hitting .250 (21-84), with one homer and seven RBIs.

JIM MURPHY (2007): Now with Clearwater (A, Phillies) in the Florida State League, the former Washington State infielder is hitting .260 (27-104), with four homers and 25 RBIs.

JAMES NYGREN (2009): Now with Greensboro (A, Marlins) in the Florida State League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 1-1, 9.24, with six saves and six strikeouts in 12.2 innings.

JOSH OSICH (2008): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 0-0, 0.00, with a save and 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

GREG PEAVEY (2008): Now with Binghamton (AA, New York Mets) in the Eastern League, the ex-Oregon State pitcher is 2-1, 4.85, with 21 strikeouts in 29.2 innings.

NICK STRUCK (2010): Now with Tennessee (AA, Cubs) in the Southern League, the former Mt. Hood pitcher is 4-2, 3.49, with 30 strikeouts in 38.2 innings.

ANDREW SUSAC (2009): Now with San Jose (A, Giants) in the California League, the ex-Oregon State catcher is hitting .247 (19-77), with one homer and seven RBIs.

NOT YET ASSIGNED: INF Nic Cuckovich (2011), Riverside CC (Royals); P Dustin Emmons (2009), UC Riverside (Mets); P Scott Lyman (2009), UC Davis (Marlins); P Tyler Anderson (2009), Oregon (Rockies); OF Dayton Alexander (2011), Feather River CC (Athletics); INF Cody Bartlett (2007), Washington State (Blue Jays); P Michael Blake (2010), Mt. Hood/Hawaii (Diamondbacks).

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That's all for today. See you tomorrow on a TGIF!

No silver lining to this blog

Another bright, sunny day in downtown Corvallis, but there is no joy in Mudville this morning. We've got some bad news to report.

University of Texas sophomore first baseman Alex Silver, the cornerstone of our three-player Longhorns' crew, will undergo knee surgery after the college season and will not join the Knights this summer as anticipated.

Silver went 0-for-5 on Tuesday in a loss to Missouri, but he's hitting .275 in 37 games overall, with no homers and 16 RBIs. So it's a big blow, as Alex is a quality player and better yet, a quality person.

Best of luck with your surgery Alex, and have a quick recovery.

However, we do have some good news to counter the bad.

We've signed Western Oregon junior right-handed pitcher A.J. Burke to replace Linfield pitcher Zach Manley, who this week announced he'd miss the summer with an arm injury.

Burke is a 6-3, 210-pound junior who played at Linn-Benton Community College in 2010-11 and was a second-team NWAACC Southern Division all-star as a sophomore. A business major with a sports management minor at WOU, he is 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA in 11 games, with four saves and 27 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched.

Burke graduated from Glencoe High School in Hillsboro in 2009 and was a second-team 6A all-state and first-team all-Pacific Conference selection as a senior. He was also an all-Pacific Conference quarterback.

So, welcome aboard, A.J.!

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Former Knight Jake Rodriguez (2010), a sophomore catcher at Oregon State, has been added to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List. It is given annually by the Greater Wichita Sports Commission to the nation's top college catcher.

Rodriguez is batting .297 with five doubles, two home runs and 26 RBIs. He has a .988 fielding percentage, has thrown out 24 of 38 potential base-stealers, and has three pickoffs. Here are further details from the OSU website.

Ex-Knight Bo Altobelli (2010) of Texas Tech is also on the watch list. Altobelli is having a great season at TTU, as he's hitting .344 in 49 games, with two homers and 29 RBIs.

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Lots of Knights in action around the country on Tuesday,in addition to the aforementioned Silver. Here's a recap:

* Oregon State's Ryan Gorton (2011) and Jake Rodriguez (2010) were 1-for-4; Danny Hayes (2009) had a sacrifice fly in his lone at-bat; Jake Esposito (2012) didn't bat; Taylor Starr (2008) went 2.2 innings and got the loss, and Scott Schultz (2011) and Matt Boyd (2010) pitched 2.1 and .1 innings of scoreless relief, respectively, in a 3-2 loss at Oregon. Jimmie Sherfy (2011) had two scoreless innings and his 13th save and Connor Hofmann (2011-12) was 0-for-4 for the Ducks.

* UC Irvine pitcher Mark Trentacosta (2011-12) allowed one run in 4.1 innings and got a no-decision in a 4-1 loss to San Diego. Chris Rabago (2012) was 2-for-3 with a run and Evan Brock (2010) pitched a scoreless inning for the Anteaters.

* Portland's Caleb Whalen (2012) was 2-for-3 with a run, pitcher Kyle Kraus pitched two scoreless innings and pitcher Chris Johnson (2011-12) gave up three runs and took the loss in a 4-2 setback at Washington State. Taylor Ard (2009) was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Cougs.

* Mt. Hood's Dane Lund (2011-12) was 3-for-8 with an RBI; Tristan Metcalf (2012) was 3-for-8 with four RBIs, Alex Foulon (2011-12) was 3-for-6 with an RBI and Kendall Motes (2012) won the opener with three innings of one-run relief as the Saints swept Lane CC.

* LBCC's Austin Hamilton was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and pitched four innings and got a no-decision in the nightcap in a sweep of SWOCC.

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West Michigan first baseman Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk in a 7-6 win over Lansing to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors for Tuesday's games. West Michigan is Detroit's affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

COWLITZ: The Black Bears have signed four more pitchers for the 2012 season. Here are the details from the Our Sports Central website.

WALLA WALLA: Here is latest installment of "10 Things to Know About Sweets Baseball," a regular feature on the club's website.

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That's all for today. We'll update the stats of our minor-leaguers on Thursday.