Corvallis Knights
{{Short description|Collegiate summer baseball team in Oregon, US}}
{{Primary sources|date=October 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball team
| name = Corvallis Knights
| logo = File:Corvallis Knights logo.png
| league = West Coast League
| division = South Division
| location = Corvallis, Oregon
| stadium = Goss Stadium
| founded = 1990
| nickname = "The Evil Empire"
| league_champs = 10 (2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
| division_champs = 14 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
| series =
| series_champs =
| former_names = Aloha Knights (1990-2006)
| former_ballparks= Mt. Hood Community College (1990-2006)
| colors = Cardinal and Gold
{{color box|#98012e}} {{color box|#d5a00f}}
| logo_design =
| mascot = Mack the Knight and Lil' King
| owner =
| manager = Brooke KnightCorvallis Knights. [http://www.corvallisknights.com/knights.php?p=office Front Office Staff]. (Head Coach)
| playoffs =
| h_title = Home
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| h_socks =
| a_title = Away
| a_pattern_cap =
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The Corvallis Knights, founded as the Aloha Knights, are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Corvallis, Oregon. Founded in 1990 in Beaverton by Dan and his brother Joe Segel, the Knights moved to Corvallis from Gresham in 2007.{{cite web |date= |title=About the Knights |url=https://corvallisknights.com/tradition/team-history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021024223/http://www.corvallisknights.com/knights.php?p=history |archive-date=2016-10-21 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Corvallis Knights}} They play in the West Coast League, a college summer wood-bat league where college players and prospects prepare for the pros. The league comprises teams from British Columbia, Oregon and Washington. Corvallis plays its home games at Goss Stadium, also the home of the Oregon State Beavers.{{cite web |date= |title=Goss Stadium at Coleman Field |url=https://corvallisknights.com/goss-stadium/ |accessdate=2024-11-18 |website=Corvallis Knights}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wccbl.com/teams.php?p=Corvallis|date=|title=West Coast League - Corvallis|accessdate=16 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818000758/http://www.wccbl.com/teams.php?p=Corvallis|archive-date=18 August 2009|url-status=usurped}}
The Knights are named after Penny Knight, their top sponsor. Penny is married to Nike co-founder Phil Knight.{{cite web|url=http://media.barometer.orst.edu/media/storage/paper854/news/2006/11/22/Sports/Corvallis.Gets.Collegiate.AllStar.Team-2506656.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110810095406/http://media.barometer.orst.edu/media/storage/paper854/news/2006/11/22/Sports/Corvallis.Gets.Collegiate.AllStar.Team-2506656.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 August 2011|date=22 November 2006|title=Corvallis Gets Collegiate All-Star Team|accessdate=22 January 2010}}
Arguably one of the most successful teams in summer collegiate wood bat baseball, the Knights have won 10 league titles and 14 division championships. The Knights best run came between the years of 2016 and 2023 where the team finished each year as both division and league champions. Since joining the WCL, the Knights have never finished with a losing season.
History
=2014=
The Corvallis Knights put up 35 wins and 19 losses in the 2014 WCL season. The Knights tried to retake their WCL Championship throne but fell short of the title by one game. Corvallis forced the third-ever Game 3 of the WCL Championship Series. The Knights put up Michael Lucarelli and Grant Melker for 54 games tying the WCL record for the most games with a batting appearance—tying Mitchell Gunsolus of the Wenatchee Applesox from 2012 and Cole Norton from the Kitsap Bluejackets in 2011. Also, Grant Melker set the WCL record for the most bases stolen by one player in one season with 29 steals. The Corvallis Knights hit 95 doubles in the 2014 season, setting the record for the most doubles by any one team in one year. They also set the record for the most sacrifice flies and stolen bases, hitting 39 flies and stealing 119 bases in one season, respectively. The Knights kept the records rolling with Jackson Lockwood winning eight games, tying the record of Eli Morgon of the Yakima Valley Pippins in the same year. Corvallis sold 43,938 tickets in the season and hosted 1,292 fans one night.
=2015=
On February 12, 2015, the Corvallis Knights held a re-branding party and unveiled the new logo for the club.[http://corvallisknights.com/news.php?p=414 "Knights Enter Golden Era: Corvallis Unveils Refreshed Brand,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213215100/http://corvallisknights.com/news.php?p=414 |date=2015-02-13 }} corvallisknights.com, Feb. 12, 2015. According to logo designer Jason Klein of the San Diego graphic design company Brandiose, the new team logo includes a head of grain as a tribute to the agricultural heritage of the Willamette Valley and the regional affinity for craft brewing. Concurrent with the change, the team officially adopted two new team colors in addition to its traditional cardinal — gold and a pale maize tone described by team officials as "Corvallis cream."
=2022=
The Knights finished the 2022 regular season first in the South Division with a 39-15 record, the best in the league.{{cite web |title=West Coast League - Summer 2022 - standings |url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} The Knights defeated the Pippins 2-1 in the South Division Semifinals and will host the Raptors in the South Division Final.{{cite web |title=Corvallis Knights - West Coast League - Playoffs 2022 team schedule |url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/team_schedule.html?teamid=3134&seasonid=33546 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} Kiko Romero is sixth in the WCL in runs batted in (34) while Sean Wiese has five wins on the mound.{{cite web |title=West Coast League - Summer 2022 - leaders |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/leaders.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} The Knights have seen 61,390 total fans go through the gate. {{cite web |title=West Coast League - Summer 2022 - Attendance |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}{{cite web |title=West Coast League - Non League 2022 - Attendance |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33340 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Baseball Technologies}}{{cite web |title=West Coast League - Playoffs 2022 - Attendance |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33546 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}
=2024=
On June 10th, infielder Kevin Takeuchi was selected as the league's player of the week after batting in ten runs and reaching base seventeen times.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-10 |title=Takeuchi and Rembisz Earn WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Honors |url=https://westcoastleague.com/takeuchi-and-rembisz-earn-wcls-moss-adams-weekly-honors/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611210658/https://westcoastleague.com/takeuchi-and-rembisz-earn-wcls-moss-adams-weekly-honors/ |archive-date=2024-06-11 |website=West Coast League}}
On June 17th, Takeuchi once again won the award after batting in and scoring sixteen runs while making base seventeen times.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-17 |title=Takeuchi and Canfield Receive WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Accolades |url=https://westcoastleague.com/takeuchi-and-canfield-receive-wcls-moss-adams-weekly-accolades/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621074604/https://westcoastleague.com/takeuchi-and-canfield-receive-wcls-moss-adams-weekly-accolades/ |archive-date=2024-06-21 |website=West Coast League}}
On July 9th, Brandon Cabrera, James DeCremer, Tyler Horn, Kaden Segel, Kevin Takeuchi, Blake Wilson, and Ty Yukomoto were selected to represent the Knights in the 2024 all star game in Bellingham.{{Cite web |last=King |first=Chris |date=2024-07-09 |title=WCL All-Star Game Rosters Announced |url=https://westcoastleague.com/wcl-all-star-game-rosters-announced/ |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=West Coast League |language=en-US}}
Former Knight Travis Bazzana was selected as the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians on July 14th.{{Cite web |last=King |first=Chris |date=2024-07-15 |title=Bazzana Selected First Overall in 2024 MLB Draft |url=https://westcoastleague.com/bazzana-selected-first-overall-in-2024-mlb-draf/ |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=West Coast League |language=en-US}}
The Knights made the playoffs for the seventeenth straight season after winning the first half. The Knights swept the Raptors 2-0 in the South Divisional Series but were upset in the South Division Championship Game 1-4 by the Pickles ending their bid at an eighth straight WCL Championship.{{Cite web |title=West Coast League - Playoffs 2024 Schedule |url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/schedule.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33877 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies |language=en}}
=2025=
The Knights are second in the South Division with a 17-10 record and are five games behind the division leading Pickles.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070 Gavin Brubaker (Northwest Nazarene) has a .377 batting average.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/leaders.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070 13,005 fans have attended Corvallis' eleven home games for an average of 1,182 fans per game.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070
Season-by-Season Record
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" | |||||||||
| scope="col"|Season
!scope="col"|League !scope="col"|Division !scope="col"|Finish !scope="col"|Wins !scope="col"|Losses !scope="col"|Win% !scope="col"|GB !scope="col"|Postseason !scope="col"|Manager | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000
|PIL | | |20 |9 |.689 | |Did Not Qualify |Geoff Loomis | |||||||||
| 2001
|PIL | | |24 |5 |.827 | |Did Not Qualify |Geoff Loomis | |||||||||
| 2002
|PIL | | |17 |13 |.566 | |NBC Participant (2-2) |Geoff Loomis | |||||||||
| 2003
|PIL | | |19 |11 |.633 | |Did Not Qualify |Geoff Loomis | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2004
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|PIL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"| |bgcolor="#EEDC82"| |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|17 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|19 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.566 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"| |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|NBC Champions (7-0) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Geoff Loomis | |||||||||
| | 2005 | 36 | 16 | .692 | Matt Dorey | |||||
| | 2006 | 31 | 16 | .659 | Brooke Knight | |||||
| bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|2007
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|West Coast League |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|West |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"| |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|38 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|20 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|.655 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"| |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Lost Championship (Pirates) |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2008
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|West |bgcolor="#EEDC82"| |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|39 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|16 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.709 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"| |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Championship (AppleSox) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|2009
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|WCL |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|West |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"| |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|49 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|13 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|.790 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"| |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Lost Championship (AppleSox) |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#96CDCD"|2010
|bgcolor="#96CDCD"|WCL |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|West |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|1st |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|31 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|17 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|.645 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|0 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Lost Division Series 0-2 (Elks) |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2011
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|West |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|37 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|17 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.685 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-1 (Elks) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|2012
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|WCL |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|West |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|1st |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|32 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|22 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|.592 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|0 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Black Bears) |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2013
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|37 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|17 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.685 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Rogues) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|2014
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|WCL |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|South |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|1st |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|35 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|19 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|.648 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|0 |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Elks) |bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#96CDCD"|2015
|bgcolor="#96CDCD"|WCL |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|South |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|2nd |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|32 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|22 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|.592 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|4.5 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Lost Division Series 0-2 (Elks) |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2016
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|34 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|20 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.630 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Pippins) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2017
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|34 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|20 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.630 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-1 (Pippins) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2018
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2nd |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|36 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|18 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.667 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Pickles) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2019
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|42 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|12 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.778 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-1 (Sweets) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| | 2020 | colspan="9"|''Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic) | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2021
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|37 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|11 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.771 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|0 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won Division Series 2-0 (Raptors) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2022
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|39 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|15 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.722 |bgcolor="#EEDC82" | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won South Divisional Series 2-1 (Pippins) Won South Division Championship Game 4-2 (Raptors) Won WCL Championship Game 5-0 (Bells) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|2023
|bgcolor="#EEDC82"|WCL |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|South |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|1st |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|39 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|15 |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|.722 |bgcolor="#EEDC82" | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Won South Divisional Series 2-1 (Black Bears) Won South Division Championship Game 4-1 (Pickles) Won WCL Championship Game 5-0 (HarbourCats) |bgcolor="#EEDC82"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#96CDCD"|2024
|bgcolor="#96CDCD"|WCL |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|South |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|1st |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|41 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|13 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|.759 |bgcolor="#96CDCD" | |||||||||
| bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Won South Divisional Series 2-0 (Raptors) Lost South Division Championship Game 1-4 (Pickles) |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Brooke Knight | |||||||||
| 2025
|WCL |South |2nd |18 |10 |.643 |5.5 | |Brooke Knight |
| class="wikitable" border="1" |
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|League Champions
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division Champions |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Playoff Team |
Alumni in Major League Baseball
- Adley Rutschman (2016)
- Tyler Anderson – LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Matt Andriese – RHP, Boston Red Sox
- Matt Boyd – LHP, Detroit Tigers
- Matthew Duffy – IF, Chicago Cubs
- Mitch Haniger – OF, San Francisco Giants{{Cite web |date=2016-08-17 |title=Former Knights Outfielder Mitch Haniger Hits Way to Big Leagues |url=http://www.corvallisknights.com/news.php?p=499 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818222637/http://www.corvallisknights.com/news.php?p=499 |archive-date=2016-08-18 |website=Corvallis Knights}}
- Jace Fry – LHP, Chicago White Sox
- Nick Madrigal – IF, Chicago Cubs
Media
The Knights are broadcast live on Corvallis' KEJO 1240 AM.{{cite web|url=http://collegesummerball.blogspot.com/2008/12/corvallis-knights-replace-seattle.html|date=20 December 2008|title=Corvallis Knights Replace Seattle Mariners on KEJO|accessdate=22 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083423/http://collegesummerball.blogspot.com/2008/12/corvallis-knights-replace-seattle.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}
Footnotes
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100127072122/http://www.wccbl.com/index.php West Coast League official website]}}
{{West Coast League}}
{{College Summer Baseball}}
Category:Amateur baseball teams in Oregon
Category:Sports in Corvallis, Oregon