Knights ride rally train to 7-6 victory

Friday, June 20, Corvallis, Ore. – The Knights scored three times in the last of the ninth to walk-off Ridgefield 7-6, serenaded by a cheering crowd of 1,148 and the whistle blasts of a passing rally train on the tracks beyond the right-field fence.

Corvallis (10-8 all, 9-8 WCL) has now won four in a row and 5 of its last 6 West Coast League games to solidify its hold on third place in the South Division.

The Knights led 4-0  after four innings but Ridgefield scored six unanswered runs and held a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. However, second baseman Gavin Brubaker led off with a single, extending his hitting streak to 10 games in a row.

Shortstop Antonio Castro (Cal Poly) then ripped a triple into the right field corner, scoring Brubaker to trim the deficit to 6-5. Right fielder Kellen Segel (LBCC) followed by grounding a 3-2 pitch into left field to score Castro with the tying run.

Brubaker, Castro and Segel were each 0-for-4 entering the ninth.

The Knights eventually loaded the bases with one out following two walks, bringing up center fielder Brock Ketelsen. The incoming Stanford freshman had just returned to the team after attending the MLB Scouting Combine in Phoenix.

He ripped a grounder up the middle that was gloved by the shortstop with a diving stop. He shoveled to second for the force out but Ketelsen beat the relay to first base by a step as Segel crossed with the winning run.

Ketelsen also tripled and drove in two runs. Catcher Xavier Rios (CSUN) had an RBI double.

Starting pitcher Jake Fields (Long Beach State, pictured above) went a season-high five innings and allowed only one run and three hits, with five strikeouts.

Luke Kalfsbeek (Cal Poly) pitched a scoreless ninth and got the win.

Game 2 of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. on June 21. Portland righty Trey Newmann (1-0, 7.44) will start for the Knights; Oregon State lefty Max Fraser (0-0, 0.00) is the probable for the Black Bears.

Because of the anticipated inclement weather, the scheduled State Farm Dash for Cash promotion has been postponed until Aug. 4.

The June 22 series finale is the Corvallis Clinic Foundation’s annual Strike Out Cancer Night, starting at 5:05 p.m. It supports Project H.E.R., a comprehensive oncology support group for cancer patients.

Probable starters are TCU righty Nate Stern (0-0, 3.00) for Corvallis and lefty Owen Harper (0-0, 5.06) of Paradise Valley CC for the Raptors.

The Knights will help the Marion Berries inaugurate WCL baseball in Salem on June 23 when the teams play a 6:35 p.m. game at Chemeketa Community College. The Knights then head to Yakima for a three-game set with the Pippins on June 24-26.

Box score