Knights keep Pirates winless
CORVALLIS, Ore. — The Pirates jumped on Corvallis starting pitcher Kyle Kraus for three runs in the top of the first inning Sunday afternoon but Kraus (3-0) settled down and the Knights kept Moses Lake winless with a 5-3 victory.
Moses Lake fell to 0-16 overall this season following a three-game series sweep at the hands of the Knights.
The Pirates took the early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning when DC Legg walked to lead off the game for Moses Lake and advanced to second following a sacrifice from catcher Brent Trask.
With Legg in scoring position with one out, right fielder Zane Bator doubled into the gap between right field and center field, scoring Legg. The RBI was Bator’s fourth of the season for the Pirates.
Shortstop Chris Casazza followed Bator’s at bat with a sharply hit ball to third base. Corvallis third baseman Carter Bell committed an error on the play and Casazza reached base safely while Bator moved to third.
Moses Lake first baseman Brock Gates then struck out for the second out of the inning and Casazza stole second to give the Pirates a pair of base runners in scoring position.
Moses Lake designated hitter Jye Lanphere then singled to left field, driving in Bator and Casazza for a 3-0 Pirates lead.
After Kraus surrendered three Moses Lake runs in the top of the first, the right hander settled down to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard for his next six innings.
With the Pirates holding a 3-0 lead, Moses Lake starting pitcher Brandon Rohde (0-2) went to work for the Pirates in the bottom of the first. Rohde dominated the Knights through the first three innings, holding Corvallis to just one hit — an infield single from Bell.
Although Rohde kept Corvallis off of the scoreboard through the first three innings, the Knights managed to get to the Moses Lake left hander in the bottom of the fourth.
Rohde walked Corvallis right fielder Billy Clontz to start the inning before Clontz stole second.
Rohde then hit Bell with a pitch before getting Pat Colwell and Matt Parker to fly out to Bator in right in back-to-back at bats for the first two outs of the inning.
Corvallis scored their first run of the contest when designated hitter Taylor Hunter singled to right field to score Clontz with two outs.
Moses Lake was unable to do any damage in the top of the fifth before the Knights went to work in the bottom of the inning.
Rhode retired the first two batters of the inning before the Knights rallied for three runs — all unearned — to take a 4-3 lead over the Pirates.
Following Corvallis’ three-run outburst in the fifth, Moses Lake head coach Steve Keller turned to relief pitcher Miles Scribner to record the final out of the inning when Scribner forced Parker to fly out to Bator in right field.
Scribner kept the Knights scoreless in the sixth before Corvallis scored their fifth and final run of the contest in the seventh on an RBI double from Colwell.
Moses Lake couldn’t get any closer to the Knights and Corvallis completed the three-game sweep with a 5-3 victory over the Pirates. Keller was unavailable for comment.
Saturday
Corvallis 10, Moses Lake 3
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Corvallis scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 4-0 lead and the Pirates were unable to recover as the Knights kept Moses Lake winless with a 10-3 victory Saturday night.
Moses Lake starting pitcher Billy Armstrong (0-3) gave up six runs in six innings as the Pirates fell to 0-15 to start the 2009 West Coast League season.
Although the Pirates found themselves trailing 4-0 after the first, Moses Lake rallied in the third and fourth innings to pull within 4-3 of the Knights.
Moses Lake first baseman Justin Cooper provided the Pirates with their first offensive spark of the contest when he led off the top of the third with a solo home run to cut the Corvallis advantage to 4-1.
The Pirates pulled within 4-3 in the top of the fourth when shortstop Chris Casazza and catcher Peter Estes hit back-to-back doubles for Moses Lake.
Although Moses Lake pulled within a run of the Knights, Corvallis distanced themselves late in the contest with the help of a five-run seventh inning to take a 9-3 lead. Corvallis added another run in the eighth and the Knights cruised to the victory.
Friday
Corvallis 5, Moses Lake 0
CORVALLIS, Ore. — The Moses Lake Pirates struggled to find an answer for Corvallis starting pitcher Matt Andriese in Friday night’s 5-0 loss to the Knights.
Andriese three a three-hit complete game shut out for the Knights and Corvallis dropped Moses Lake to 0-14 to start the 2009 West Coast League season.
Moses Lake starting pitcher John Robinson gave up three runs — two earned — in six innings on his way to his fourth loss of the season.
The Pirates had just three hits — all singles.