Travess Goes 5-for-6, Knights Take Series With 13-11 Win Over Pippins

YAKIMA, Wash. –  Second baseman Taylor Travess (pictured, above) went 5-for-6 and drove in three runs to lead the Knights to a 13-11 victory over Yakima Valley at Yakima County Stadium.

Travess had a two-run single in a five-run second inning and added an RBI single in a four-run fifth that sent the Knights ahead to stay, 9-5. He added a double in the seventh and a single and scored twice as the Knights (32-16, 28-16, 11-6 second half) won their second game in a row to capture the South Division series.

A rising senior at Oregon, Travess upped his average 43 points to .271 with his five-hit performance, the first for the Knights this summer. He is 7-for-10 (.700) in the series and raised his average 58 points in his last two games.

First baseman Dylan Shrum (Nevada-Reno) added a two-run homer, scored twice and had three RBIs and center fielder Emilio Alcantar (Lewis-Clark State) had two singles and two RBIs as the Knights broke loose for 13 hits. Five Yakima Valley errors enabled Corvallis to score nine unearned runs.

Shrum’s homer was his fifth of the summer and the 36^th for the Knights, who lead the WCL in that category.

Starter Jordan Horak (Portland) weathered a four-run third inning and went the required five frames for the victory. He struck out two and improved to 5-1, tied for second in the WCL for wins this season.

The Knights eventually built their lead to 12-5 by scoring three times in the sixth, and took a 13-8 advantage heading into the last of the ninth after an RBI double by Elliot Willy (Oregon State). However, the Pippins shaved that advantage to 13-11 and had the tying runs on base in the ninth before the final out was recorded.

The series concludes at 7:05 p.m. Monday; San Diego sophomore Louis Crow (0-1, 5.75) goes for the Knights, opposed by Taylor Dollard (5-0, 2.38) in a matchup of right-handers.

The Knights return home on Tuesday to host the Salem Capitols of the Oregon Collegiate Baseball League in a nonconference game. They then resume WCL action against Gresham on Wednesday through Friday.

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