Black Bears even up WCL series with 10-1 victory over Knights

Saturday, June 19, Corvallis, Ore. – Incoming Gonzaga freshman Nathan DeSchryver pitched a scoreless inning in his Corvallis debut but the Knights fell 10-1 to Cowlitz.

The win enabled the Black Bears (4-4 WCL) to even the West Coast League series, to the dismay of most in the Grad Night crowd of 1,176 at Goss Stadium. The Knights (7-4) fell one-half game behind Ridgefield (8-4) in the South Division pennant race.

A 6-foot-2, 190-pound righty from Silverdale, Wash., who played at nearby Bainbridge High School, DeSchryver struck out one and walked one in his lone inning of work. He threw 11 strikes in 19 pitches.

“We are very excited to welcome Nate to campus this fall,” Gonzaga coach Mark Machtolf said. “He was the first commit in the 2021 class … he has a chance to be an impact arm early in his career.”

The Knights scored their lone run in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk to Spencer Scott (Portland). However, they left the bases loaded and did not advance a runner past second base the remainder of the game.

Cowlitz drew even in the third inning and broke the game open with a six-spot in the fourth. It had five hits and six of its first seven batters scored in the decisive frame.

Kiko Romero (Central Arizona) singled twice and walked, reaching safely in three of his four plate appearances to lead the Knights. Scott added a double, the Knights’ only extra-base hit.

Romero also doubled and singled in Friday night’s 5-3 victory in the series opener. He has raised his average from .125 to .333 by going 4-for-7 (.571) in the series.

“Mindset doesn’t change,” with the disappointing loss, Romero said. “We try to win every game, just rinse and repeat and flush this loss and start working for the next one. I love playing at Goss and love hearing the fans cheer us on.”

The series wraps up at 5:05 p.m. Sunday. Oregon State right-hander Brock Townsend (1-0, 9.00) is the projected starter for Corvallis.

The opening homestand concludes at 6:35 p.m. Monday with a nonleague game against the Northwest Star Academy of Ridgefield, Wash. WCL action resumes on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at the Portland Pickles.

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