Elks Split Doubleheader, Drop Series to Defending WCL Champs

The Bend Elks struggled to carry its momentum from a game two win into the series finale against the Corvallis Knights. (Andrew Green)

Corvallis, OR. - The Bend Elks split its Friday doubleheader with the Corvallis Knights, ultimately getting blown out by the Knights 15-3 in the rubber match, dropping the rivalry road series.

Despite pulling off a remarkable late-game comeback in game two, the Elks' momentum didn't carry over to the series finale, where Corvallis (9-4, 8-4) posted a season-best 15 runs on 15 hits, all while not committing an error defensively.

The Knights set the tone from the get-go scoring five runs over the first two innings. The Elks managed to respond with one run in the top of the fifth but couldn't keep up with the defending West Coast League champs, who racked up ten more runs over the next four innings, six of which came in the bottom of the eighth.

Eight of the Knights' nine starters recorded at least one hit and had six total hits for extra bases made up by two triples and a handful of ground-rule doubles. Steven Meier accounted for two of Bend's five hits.

The afternoon game gave off a much different tone than the nightcap. The Elks took its first lead of the series with two runs in the opening frame putting Knights starting pitcher Brady Jones' day to an end after just one inning. Corvallis would quickly respond and even things up on a two-RBI base hit from Sam Stern. The Knights followed with a three spot in the sixth to shove Bend into a 5-3 hole.

Yet this time, the Elks were not to be denied, putting together some of its best at-bats of the young season with a two-out, two-strike, two-run single from Braeden Terry in the eighth that tied the game at five. Although the Knights reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame, Bend responded with a hit from Kody Watanabe, accompanied by an error from J.C. Ng, allowing Tyler Peterson and Steven Meier to score to secure the 7-6 victory.

The Elks closer Jake Green recorded his first win of the summer, going two innings pitched, giving up just three hits and one earned run in clutch time. Mahiro Tomita suffered his first loss for the Elks in the series finale as his start did not go according to plan letting four earned runs come across on four hits and two walks over two innings of work.

Bend (7-7, 5-7) returns home for a two-game weekend set against Baum Bat Northwest to round out its non-league schedule before heading back to the Willamette Valley to take on the Springfield Drifters.