Falcons unable to force deciding game, fall 5-1

Corvallis completes 3-peat with sweep of Kelowna in WCL final

After Tuesday’s one-sided slugfest, Corvallis and Kelowna were mired in an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel Thursday night at Goss Stadium.

Connor Redmond and the Knights came out on top, securing a 5-1 win that clinched the franchise’s third consecutive West Coast League title.

Corvallis opened the best-of-three final with a 17-6 rout at Kelowna before finishing the series sweep at home. It’s the sixth WCL title for the Knights, who also won it all in 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2017. Corvallis was the WCL runner-up in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014.

Redmond was dominant for six innings, surrendering just one run — a Garrett Kelly solo homer — on four hits with eight strikeouts and a walk. The right-hander gave way to Abbot Haffar after 88 pitches.

Haffar retired the final seven Falcons in order — including four strikeouts — to pick up the save in front of 1,286 fans.

Kelowna starter Jared Akin wiggled in and out of trouble through four effective innings. The Knights mustered seven hits off Akin but plated just two third-inning runs, both of which were unearned.

Corvallis (44-20-1) added three late insurance runs en route to its eighth straight victory over the Falcons (30-29) this season.

Kelly’s blast to straight-away left field in the second inning gave Kelowna an early 1-0 lead.

Corvallis loaded the bases in the home half, but Akin got out of trouble with a popup and a groundout. The Knights broke through one inning later — taking a 2-1 lead in the third — and never looked back.