WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Knights fell to 0-2 in the West Coast League following a 6-3 loss to the Walla Walla Sweets at Borleske Stadium.
Center fielder Kai Murphy (pictured, above), a future Oregon State player, singled, doubled and drove in a run and shortstop Andy Atwood (Texas Rio Grande Valley) was 3-for-5 with two runs and a triple but the Knights lost their opening WCL series of the season.
Right fielder Nick Yovetich (San Francisco) and left fielder Jake Holcroft (Portland) added two hits each. Holcroft scored once and drove in a run.
The Knights scored in the first inning on Holcroft’s bases-loaded, two-out single. Walla Walla pulled even in the fourth, just before the game was suspended for 30 minutes by lightning.
When play resumed, Atwood ripped his second triple in as many games leading off the fifth. He then scored on Murphy’s sacrifice fly to center field for a 2-1 Knights’ advantage.
However, the Sweets scored three unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth to take a 4-2 lead before another rain delay stopped the game for more than an hour. Holcroft scored on the back end of a double steal in the eighth to get the Knights within 4-3 but they could not draw even in the ninth.
Corvallis stranded 10 runners. Their pitchers also walked three, hit five, and uncorked three wild pitches.
The series concludes at 10:35 a.m. Thursday, so the Knights can get an early start to Victoria for their next series. Lefty Timothy Josten of Cal State Fullerton is the scheduled starter for the Knights, opposed by righty Ben Johnson of Northwest Nazarene.
The Knights play at Victoria this Friday-Sunday. Their WCL home opener is June 14 against Cowlitz.