Corvallis pulls away late to clinch series over Bend

Center fielder Brett Ott scored the Elks lone run in the Game 2 loss. (Sage Young)

Bend, OR - Despite the game being a pitchers duel for the majority, Corvallis pulled away late from Bend with a four run rally in the eighth inning causing the Knights to come away with a 7-1 win Wednesday and clinch the series victory over the Elks.

With just two runs separating the two squads heading into the eighth inning, Bend (2-3, 2-3) still had a viable chance to even the series. Yet, Corvallis (4-0, 4-0) came through in the clutch with three consecutive RBI singles by Colter McAnelly, Kellen Segel and Cole Snidow to cruise away with its second consecutive road series win.

The Elks battled back and forth with the Knights through the first three frames, with each side going scoreless over that starting span. But it was one pitch from Simon Lemke that changed the course of the game when Kevin Takeuchi smacked a three-run homer over the left-field fence. Outside of that one ball that got left over the plate, Lemke (1-1) held the Knights scoreless in his five other frames of work, surrendering six hits in total, countered by five strikeouts. 

Bend's offense got one run back in the home half of that fourth inning on an RBI base hit by Luke Reece. But that would be all the runs the Elks could muster, being limited to just five hits by Knights pitching, who retired 27 of the 32 Elks faced, including nine by strikeout.

Brett Ott accounted for two of the Elks' five knocks on the night and also scored the team's lone run. Bend's center fielder has now doubled in three straight games and has scored in four of the Elks' five contests this summer.

Bend will look hand the defending WCL champs their first loss of the season Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Vince Genna Stadium.

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