Colyer’s homer highlights winning rally for Knights

Friday, June 21, Springfield, Ore. – Corvallis scored four times in the eighth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and the Knights defeated Springfield 5-1 at the Hamlin Sports Complex.

Corvallis (16-3, 15-3) evened the six-game series with the Drifters at two games apiece with their second consecutive victory. The Knights also prevailed 5-1 on June 20 after Springfield won the first two games on June 18 and 19.

Brandon Cabrera (Lewis-Clark State) led off the decisive eighth with a double, his third hit of the game. After an out, Kevin Takeuchi (USC) drove a double to the left-center gap, knocking in Cabrera with the go-ahead run.

Luke Lavin (Stanford) followed with a single, putting runners at the corners. Takeuchi scored on a squeeze bunt by Thomas Ferroggiaro (Santa Clara) for a 3-1 lead; CJ Colyer (Pacific, pictured above) followed with a 2-run homer for a 5-1 advantage.

It was the first homer of the summer for Colyer, the 2024 Northwest Conference Player of the Year. He joined Takeuchi as Knights with home runs this season.

Corvallis took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Blake Wilson (Washington) singled, went to second on an error and to third on a fly ball. Lavin drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

Cabrera was 4-for-5 and Wilson was 3-for-5; each hit doubles, scored once and raised their averages to .344 and .333, respectively. Colyer was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.

James DeCremer (Oregon State) struck out four in two perfect innings in his 2024 debut. Lucas Casey (Cal State Northridge) added four more strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

Dom Tatone (Umpqua CC) allowed two hits and a run in three innings before giving way to Garren Rizzo (USC) to start the eighth inning. Rizzo closed it out, striking out three.

The four pitchers allowed only four hits and one walk and combined for 15 strikeouts. Tatone was credited with the victory.

Game 2 of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. June 22 back at Goss Stadium; Jackson Flora (0-0, 0.00) of UC Santa Barbara is the probable starter for Corvallis. It’s Dash 4 Cash Night; all children aged 12 and under are invited onto the field to chase after $1,000 in $1 bills.

The series returns to Springfield on June 23 for the 4:05 p.m. finale. Oregon State’s Laif Palmer will make his starting debut for Corvallis; Bushnell’s Ethan Paulson makes his debut for Springfield.

Corvallis is idle on June 24, then opens a four-game series with the Cowlitz Black Bears on June 25. The teams play a 5 p.m. doubleheader June 26; Corvallis will be the visiting team in the opener, the makeup of a game at Longview postponed by rain on June 2.

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