RIDGEFIELD — Before Saturday’s first pitch between the Ridgefield Raptors and Corvallis Knights, the South Division’s first half champion had already been decided.
With Walla Walla’s 3-2 loss to Kelowna in the first game of a doubleheader across the border, the Knights had already clinched a division title, and playoff spot.
The West Coast League operates a split-season format, which gives four playoff berths (one from each division in each half of the season). The three-time defending champion Knights (20-6) already knew they were going to be playing more than 54 games this year.
Corvallis didn’t waste any time celebrating, though, jumping all over Ridgefield in the first inning and coasting to a 7-5 win at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. It’s the Knights’ 14th straight win.
Ridgefield drops to .500 (13-13) for the first time since June 7, the Raptors’ fourth franchise game.
“We just have to get better throughout the second part of the game,” Raptors second baseman Justin Boyd said of what Ridgefield learned the past two nights. They did just that on Saturday, scoring four of their five runs in the sixth inning or later. But they couldn’t muster quite enough late and dropped their seventh game in the past 10 outings.
The series and the season’s first half ends Sunday with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch at the RORC scheduled.
Three key moments
Jumping in front — Utah senior Zack Moeller smashed a double off the left-field wall in the first inning to score two. Paired with two errors by Raptors’ left fielder Michael Hicks, the Raptors trailed 4-0 after one inning.
Knights get sloppy — The Raptors cut into the Knights’ big lead by taking advantage of some uncharacteristic play from the league leaders. In the bottom of the sixth, Ridgefield scored on a Knights’ error and a balk — both by pitcher Kevin West — and then Grayson Sterling singled home a run to cut deficit to 5-4.
Williams shuts it down — Stanford sophomore Alex Williams’ first pitch was delivered straight into Justin Boyd’s back. But the Knights reliever was lights out from there, retiring the next nine batters, including six by strikeout.
Three key players
Zack Moeller — The Utah senior went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a pair of RBI for the Knights while also catching all nine innings.
Justin Boyd — The Oregon State freshman was 2 for 3 with a run scored for the Raptors, but he’s best known for his glove at second base and didn’t disappoint Saturday. In the third inning, he followed up a stellar play by shortstop Jonny Weaver with a barehand grab and throw to get a runner at first. “We like to compete with each other, have fun and give each other hard times,” Boyd said of the infield camaraderie.
Michael Curriale — The UCLA freshman went 2 for 4 with two stolen bases and a run scored for the Knights.
Three numbers
7 — Stolen bases for Arizona State sophomore Dusty Garcia, whose steal of second in the fourth inning moved him into a tie for the Raptors’ team lead.
8 — Consecutive outs recorded by strikeouts, as Ridgefield’s Zach Barnes and Corvallis’ Jack Arnsdorf each struck out the side in the second inning.
14 — The Knights improved on their league win streak.
