Knights comeback overpowers Port Angeles for series win

Saturday, July 2, Corvallis, Ore.  – Corvallis erased a 6-1 deficit and rallied to defeat Port Angeles 10-6 to thrill a Goss Stadium crowd of 1,679.

The Knights (15-6 all, 15-5 WCL) used the long ball and small ball in scoring nine unanswered runs in their final three at-bats. They also clinched the West Coast League series, having won the July 1 opener by an 11-1 count.

Corvallis trailed 6-1 in the sixth inning when Brady Lavoie (San Diego State) ignited the comeback by unloading a three-run homer over the left-field fence. Then, two singles and an error loaded the bases; Temo Becerra’s (Stanford) RBI groundout made it 6-5 and Jonah Advincula’s RBI single drew the Knights even.

In the seventh, Zander Darby (UCSB, pictured above) crushed a ball 420 feet off the center field batter’s eye to send the Knights in front 7-6. A throwing error on Tyler Quinn’s (Pacific U.) bunt single scored two and Becerra made it 10-6 with an RBI single.

Lavoie was 3-for-5 and had three RBIs and has two homers and six RBIs in his last three games. He is hitting .417 (5-12) in that stretch, raising his average from .219 to .273.

Relievers Jaden Harris (Utah) and Sean Wiese (Hawaii) combined to blank the Lefties over the final 5.1 innings, facilitating the Corvallis comeback. Harris allowed two hits and fanned one in 2.1 innings; Wiese spaced four singles over three innings, with four strikeouts, and earned the victory.

Wiese is 3-0 and still has not allowed a run in x16.2 innings over seven appearances. He has 19 strikeouts and just two walks and eight hits given up. He is a lefty from Canby who played four years at George Fox, he will play his final season at Hawaii.

The series concludes at 7:15 p.m. Sunday with the Knights annual Oregon State Credit Union Fireworks Night.  Oregon State righty Ryan Brown (0-0, 4.50) is the probable starting pitcher for Corvallis, opposed by Andres Quinones (0-4, 5.14).

The game is completely sold out.

Former NFL player Golden Tate did not accompany the Lefties to Corvallis. He has broadcasting responsibilities and won’t rejoin the team until July 8.

The Knights play a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at Portland on Monday, making up two of three games postponed by rain earlier this season. They then open a three-game series with Ridgefield on Tuesday in Corvallis. Game 2 is at Ridgefield on Wednesday and the series concludes in Corvallis on Thursday.

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