Knights turn nifty triple play, but beaten 10-5 by Walla Walla

Sunday, June 18, Corvallis, Ore.  – Corvallis could not rally from an early 9-0 deficit and fell 10-5 to Walla Walla on Sunday before a Father’s Day crowd of 1,173 at Goss Stadium.

The Sweets scored three times in the first inning and six times in the second to build their insurmountable advantage. Relievers Miles Gosztola (Gonzaga), Jakob Russell (Redlands), Joey Mundt (Oregon State) and Luke Kovach (Cal Poly) combined to blank the Sweets until the ninth, but the damage was done.

The highlight for the Knights was a fourth inning triple play. With the bases loaded, Walla Walla’s Manny Casillas hit a tapper about two feet in front of home plate. Corvallis catcher Tyler Howard (Portland) grabbed the ball and stepped on home to force out the runner from third base for the first out. He then tagged Casilla for the second out, and threw to shortstop Ty Yukumoto (Pacific) , who tagged the runner heading to second base for the third out.

Third baseman Ethan Hedges (USC, pictured above) doubled twice, singled, scored and drove in a run to lead the Knights (9-6 all, 8-6 WCL), who lost their second straight game and  the series.

Second baseman Tate Shimao (Cal Poly) and Yukumoto (Pacific) each singled twice and scored. Sam Stem (Gonzaga) tripled, drove in two and scored twice.

Gosztola spaced four hits over four scoreless innings in his season debut, with four strikeouts, and earned Washington Park Advisors Player of the Game honors. Mundt pitched for the first time since 2021 and retired both men he faced after inheriting a bases-loaded, one-out predicament.

However, Corvallis pitchers issued 12 walks and hit two batters, and five Sweets aboard via free passes scored. They also struggled with control in an 8-4 loss in the June 17 series opener, walking 11 and hitting two; six of those runners scored.

The series concludes at 6:35 p.m. Monday, with Portland righty Morgan Codron (0-0, 9.00) starting for Corvallis, opposed by Columbia Basin CC righty Francisco Lopez (0-1, 10.12).

The Knights are idle on Tuesday and Wednesday and resume action on Thursday with a 6:35 p.m. nonleague game against the Corvallis Gerding Construction American Legion team.

Corvallis has won the last six WCL championships.

Sunday’s Father’s Day crowd of 1,173 raised the season attendance to 10,669 in six dates.

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