Knights clobber Black Bears 14-1 in Game 2 of opening 2024 series

Saturday, June 1, Longview, Wash. – The Knights continued their opening-weekend domination of the Cowlitz Black Bears with a 14-1 victory in Game 2 of their initial series of the West Coast League season.

The Knights (3-0 all, 2-0 WCL) have outscored the Black Bears 24-1 through the first two games heading into the June 2 series finale, scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at David Story Field.

Corvallis scored four times after two were out in the second inning to grab the early lead. The key blows were an RBI single by Peyton Miller (Gonzaga) and a bases-clearing double by Brandon Cabrerra (Lewis-Clark State).

The Knights added one more run in the third and two in the fourth for a 7-0 advantage. Four more runs in the seventh and three in the ninth concluded the scoring.

Cabrerra was 2-for-4 with two runs, four RBIs and a stolen base; incoming Portland freshman Quin Dufort was 2-for-4 with two runs. Cole Snidow (Phoenix College) scored three times, Connor Boyd (LBCC) scored twice and drove in a run and Ty Yukumoto (Pacific) had two RBIs and a run.

Starting pitcher Payton Riske (Utah) allowed one hit and had two strikeouts in four shutout innings. He was not eligible for the win because he did not pitch five innings.

Returnee Kaden Segel (Portland) pitched the next two innings and was credited with the victory. Now in his fourth year with the club, he improved to 11-1 lifetime with the win.

Ky Hoskinson (Portland) added two shutout innings and returnee Nathan Marshall (Lane CC) closed the game with a scoreless ninth. The staff combined for nine strikeouts and only two walks; in two games it has teamed up for 15 strikeouts, only three walks and seven hits allowed.

The series finale matches Caleb Debban (George Fox) for Corvallis vs. Zach Swanson (Oregon State) for Cowlitz. It will end the first leg of a season-opening 12-game road trip to Cowlitz, Bend, Yakima Valley and Portland.

The Knights open the home portion of the season on June 14 when they host the Port Angeles Lefties at Goss Stadium.

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