Saturday, June 26, Corvallis, Ore. – For the second consecutive night Corvallis tallied nine runs against Wenatchee, defeating the AppleSox 9-6 on Saturday night to clinch the series win on a sweltering night at Goss Stadium.
Also, for the second consecutive night, Cal State Fullerton’s Nate Nankil had three hits, including a double, and the rising sophomore scored three runs to lead the Knights attack. Incoming Oregon State freshman Travis Bazzana (pictured) also had three hits and an RBI on Saturday while Riley Way of Lewis-Clark State, Portland Pilots commit Spencer Scott, and frosh outfielder Kyler Stancato of Washington State each had two hits for the home team.
Cal State Fullerton sophomore Jake Vargas earned the win in relief, as he went 2.2 innings allowing just two hits and one run and striking out six. Corvallis pitchers tallied 12 strikeouts in the game, with starter Ben Kibbe punching out four over four innings of work.
The Knights lit up Wenatchee starter Jacob Hughes, tagging the incoming Oregon freshman for six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings pitched.
After sending 11 men to the plate and scoring six runs in the second inning on Friday, the Knights batted around again in the second frame on Saturday, scoring four runs on five hits and two Wenatchee errors. Stancato had the biggest hit of the inning, driving in a pair with a booming triple to right-center.
Wenatchee had an answer in the third, capitalizing on two walks, a hit batter, and two wild pitches to score three runs on just one hit and cut the Corvallis lead to 4-3. The AppleSox drew even at 4-4 with a run in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom half the Knights quickly regained the lead behind RBI singles from Way and Scott to make it a 6-4 game.
Corvallis added a pair of runs off three hits in the sixth inning. Wenatchee scored once in the top of the 7th and the Knights got that run back on another RBI single from Way in the eighth. Trailing 9-5 in the top of the 9th, Wenatchee was able to plate one run on Corvallis closer Nate Mendoza, but the Knights completed a 9-6 win.
Nankil is 6-for-8 with two doubles, five runs scored, and two RBI in the series. The Knights go for the sweep of the AppleSox on Sunday with first pitch moved to 10 a.m.
The Knights improved to 13-4 with the win and remain in first place in the WCL South Division.
To check out tonight’s box score, click here.