Knights clinch series, knock off Berries 6-3

Saturday, June 27, Salem, Ore.  – Corvallis clinched a series win at Marion by dispatching the Berries 6-3 before a chilled crowd of 1,097 at Chemeketa Ballpark.

The Knights (15-11, 12-11 WCL) stretched their overall winning streak to four games and their West Coast League winning streak to two games by plucking the Berries for the second night in a row. Corvallis prevailed 8-2 on June 26 in the series opener.

Future UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Maverek Russell (pictured, above) had the Knights’ lone RBIs on a two-run fifth-inning single. Future UCLA Bruin Tate Hammond was the lone Knight with two hits; he also scored once.

Marion took an early lead for the second night in a row on a solo homer in the second inning. However, the Knights went ahead 2-1 in the fourth and never trailed again.

In that inning, Ryan Severns (UCSB) doubled for the second night in a row, and advanced to third on a passed ball. Trey Swygart (Portland) then walked and went to second on a wild pitch, with Severns holding at third.

Both then scored on Russell’s RBI single. That lead held until the home fifth, when Marion outfielder Matthew Major tied the game at 2-2 with a solo homer.

Corvallis responded in the sixth, scoring twice without an RBI to zip ahead 4-2. Swygart and Ian Draper (Portland) led off with singles; Swygart scored on a wild pitch, Draper on a 4-6-3 double play.

The Knights added two big insurance runs in the ninth to expand their lead to 6-2. With two outs, two singles sandwiched around a hit batter loaded the bases; two runs scored when Marion’s third baseman erred on Severn’s hard smash.

Future Oregon Stater Grayton Riding had a three-inning start, allowing the aforementioned solo homer and striking out six. Zane Garvey (Western Oregon) also allowed a solo shot in his two-inning stint, with two strikeouts.

Nate Marshall (Eastern Illinois) added a perfect sixth and seventh innings, striking out three and needing only 19 pitches to retire six hitters. He was credited with the victory.

The Knights defense had two key plays in the eighth to help reliever Mac Zawistoski (Eastern Illinois) post a zero. With two on and no outs, Draper leaped high in the air to snag a line drive at third base; he then threw to second to double up the lead runner to complete a nifty double play.

The next batter blooped a single to left field. But Ethan Porter (Oregon State) charged the ball and threw to Draper to easily retire Major trying to go from first to third for the third out.

Swygart allowed the first two runners to reach safely in the ninth but then retired three Berries in a row to finish it.

The Knights go for their first series sweep since the season-opening weekend at Kamloops at 5:05 p.m. on June 28. They are idle on June 29; they open a six-game homestand on June 30-July 2 against the Portland Pickles.

Box score