Big Fifth Inning Sends Pippins to 7th Straight Loss

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A four-run 5th inning propelled the Corvallis Knights to a 5-2 win over the Yakima Valley Pippins on Friday night at Goss Stadium in Corvallis, extending the Pippins’ losing streak to 7 games, and the Knights winning streak to 7 games.

For the early part of Friday, the Pippins (8-13) and Knights (13-6) were engaged in an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel, with neither team striking for anything in the first four innings. Both starters were effective early, including Pippins right-hander Ryan Jameson, who needed less than 50 pitchers to cruise through 4 innings before the Knights got to him in the 5th.

After Trace Tammaro led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, Jameson committed an error when he threw away a bunt attempt by Corvallis right fielder Elliot Willy. An intentional walk later, Jake Harvey lifted a soft fly ball to left that dropped in between a collision of Pippins shortstop Tanner Parker and left fielder Greg Fuchs, scoring two runs. A batter later, Brooks Lee doubled home two to make it a 4-run inning.

Corvallis would add another run off of Jameson in the 6th inning before he exited. The Cal Poly right-hander allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work. Jackson Arnsdorf, the Corvallis starter, was stellar for the Knights, allowing just 2 hits and a walk while striking out 5 over 5 shutout innings to pick up his third win of the summer. Jameson took the loss, and fell to 0-2.

In the 7th, the Pippins offense struck for 2 runs off of Corvallis reliever Timothy Josten. Aidan Welch and Noah Andrews led off the frame with singles, and a few batters later, Brett Wells, in his Pippins debut, doubled home Welch. Following Wells was another Pippins newcomer, Brady Hormel, whose RBI groundout cut the lead to 5-2. From there, the Pippins never scored again.

Beyond Josten, the Knights used a trio of shutdown relievers in Trace Hokkanen, Nick Caviglia, and Alex Williams, the later of whom struck out 1 in a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his second save of the year.

Andrews and Welch led the way offensively for the Pippins, with both collecting multi-hit games. No member of the Knights had a multi-hit game, as both teams collected just six hits, but Harvey and Lee both had 2 RBIs on the evening.

The series continues on Saturday with a 6:30 PM first pitch at Goss Stadium. Right-hander Mark Woinarowicz will start for the Pippins opposite Corvallis right-hander Connor Redmond. Pregame coverage with Miles Klotz will begin at 6:15 PM at pippinsbaseball.com/live.

By Miles Klotz

June 29, 2019