The Corvallis Knights’ historic run became even more impressive Monday night when the Knights won their seventh straight West Coast League championship with a 5-0 victory over the visiting Victoria HarbourCats.

The Knights’ championship is also their tenth overall, with 2023 joining 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 (the league’s 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic).

The title streak stays alive for Corvallis despite the Knights needing to win four straight elimination games during the playoff run. In the first round, Corvallis squeaked past the Cowlitz Black Bears in three close games after dropping the opener, then edged the Portland Pickles in Saturday night’s South Championship Game to earn the right to host the HarbourCats in the winner-take-all clash.

In Monday night’s championship game at Goss Stadium, the Knights took the lead in the bottom of the second inning, and they would not give up that lead. Merit Jones earned the win after striking out nine batters in 5-2/3 shutout innings. Ethan Hott delivered a sterling performance at the plate, going 3 for 3 while driving in two runs.

“My congratulations to the Knights for winning yet another championship, extending what must be the most impressive run in the history of summer collegiate baseball,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer after Monday night’s championship game. “They certainly earned this one, as nobody in the league played better this summer than the HarbourCats.”

The Knights finished the season with the League’s best overall record, securing home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Hott and Jones Earn WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Honors

The West Coast League’s Moss Adams Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer, are Corvallis Knights standouts Ethan Hott (Stanford) and Merit Jones (Utah).

Both Hott and Jones played crucial roles in helping the Knights capture their seventh straight WCL title, as Corvallis extended their streak with Monday’s 5-0 victory over the Victoria HarbourCats.

In the Knights’ five postseason games, Hott reached base 11 times and drove in five runs. In Monday night’s title game, he went 3 for 3 with two RBI. Last spring Hott redshirted in his first season at Stanford.

In his two postseason starts, Jones was phenomenal, as the rising University of Utah sophomore allowed only four hits over 11-2/3 scoreless innings during his outings against the Cowlitz Black Bears and in Monday’s title game versus Victoria.

In the regular season, the Idaho Falls native went 1-1 for the Knights with a 1.45 ERA in nine appearances. As a freshman last spring, he led the Utes with 13 starts, finishing with a 2-4 record over 60 innings.

About the West Coast League: The West Coast League is the West’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Encompassing Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and now Alberta, the WCL showcases pro prospects from major collegiate conferences around the nation. Every summer, the League features unparalleled fan and player experiences, with North America’s best baseball weather and a mix of classic and modern ballparks, all backdropped by the sport’s most stunning scenery. The 2019 MLB amateur draft began with former Corvallis Knight Adley Rutschman selected with the overall No. 1 pick by the Baltimore Orioles, and the 2022 draft featured two West Coast League alumni, Brooks Lee and Gabriel Hughes, among the first 10 picks.