Knights crush Pippins on first drone night

Saturday, July 26, Corvallis, Ore. – Corvallis pummeled Yakima Valley 14-0 and claimed the South Division West Coast League series, thrilling a crowd of 2,457 on the club’s initial Drone Night.

Catcher Xavier Rios (CSUN, pictured above) slammed a two-run homer in the second inning to get the Knights going. They erupted for 11 runs in the fourth inning to turn what had been a competitive game into a rout.

The Knights (34-14 all, 30-14 WCL, 13-4 second half) won for the fifth time in their last six games. They maintained a solid hold on second place in the South Division overall standings, which would result in home-field advantage in the first round of the divisional playoffs.

Rios now has three homers, tied for second on the team behind Joshua Proctor’s (Oregon State) four. Every player in the starting lineup but one scored at least once; the Knights are 5-0 against the Pippins in 2025 and have outscored them 27-3 in this series.

Rios was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs and earned Washington Park Advisors Player of the Game honors.

Maddox Riske (USC), Trey Swygart (Portland) Braeden Mondeau (Hawaii-Hilo) and Rios all drove in two runs. Corvallis had 14 hits overall, but only one extra-base knock.

Starting pitcher Troy Cooper (Cal Poly) blanked the Pippins on three hits over three innings, with two strikeouts. He did not go the required five innings to qualify for the win.

Van Froling (UCSB) added two innings of two-hit relief, with two strikeouts. Dom Tatone (Lewis-Clark State) followed with three scoreless innings and Trey Newmann (Portland) completed the shutout in the ninth.

The series finale is set for 5:05 p.m. on July 27. It’s Wilson Motors Night; stop by the dealership at 5^th Street and Buchanan Avenue in Corvallis to get your free general admission ticket.

Zach Johnson of Linfield (3-1, 3.44) will start for the Knights; Connor Bartzer of Cal State San Bernardino (0-3, 14.72) is the scheduled starter for the Pippins.

After an off day on July 28, the homestand continues on July 29-31 against Walla Walla; all three games begin at 6:35 p.m.. The Knights swept a three-game series with the Sweets at Borleske Stadium back on July 11-13.

July 29 is Albany Rollers Night. The Knights will wear special caps and jerseys commemorating Albany’s long-ago professional team. Incoming Oregon State freshman Tyler Bellerose (2-0, 1.74) is the Knights scheduled starter.

July 30 is Sandlot Night. Stay after the game to watch a special screening of the “Sandlot” movie on the Goss Stadium video board. Nebraska lefty Chase Olson (2-2, 3.19) gets the ball for Corvallis.

July 31 is Halloween in July, presented by the Sue Long Realty Group. Dress up in your favorite Halloween costume for some ballpark trick-or-treating, and a costume contest.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be stationed outside the stadium to take donations. Portland’s Trey Swygart (0-0, 0.00) is the Knights probable.

In other team news, all-star right-handed pitcher J’Shawn Unger has been shut down for the season at the request of his college coach. He was 4-0, 2.59 in 10 games, with 31 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.

Box score