Slow Night for the Bats Gives Knights Game 2

CORVALLIS, Or.- Entering the 5th game between the Knights and Yakima Valley this year, Corvallis was 4-0 while outscoring the Pippins 28-4 in that span.

This game followed the same mold as once again Knights starting pitching led the way for a victory.

Tonight it was Kaden Segel who went 5 scoreless innings, and while yesterday’s starter saw 1 baserunner against, Segel allowed 2 baserunners in his 5 frames.

With the Pippins bats stifled, Corvallis would take an early lead. 3 walks in the first resulted in 2 runs for the Knights, and they would add 2 more on a solo home run and an RBI double in the 3rd.

The 4-0 lead would stick, and the Pippins would go a stretch of 12 straight batters retired from the 4th to the 8th.

Gaven Mattson replaced Blake Leaverton in the 6th and allowed a run for Corvallis to expand the lead to 5. Daniel Charron came in after that and had 2 solid innings striking out 3.

After tallying 1 hit through the first 7 innings, the Pippins had 2 hits in the 8th but a nice backpick from catcher Tyler Quinn stole an out, and a hit and a Sam Olsson RBI in the 9th was enough to score the first Yakima Valley run.

A positive for the Pippins was Oregon’s Aiden Van Rensum, who had his breakout game finishing 2-3 with a double and an outfield assist.

The loss makes it 3 in a row for the Pippins, who end the road trip with the series finale against Corvallis tomorrow at 5:05. They’ll have the opportunity to steal a game from the Knights and carry some momentum back home.

By Zach McKinstry

June 19, 2022