CORVALLIS — In a battle between the top two teams in the West Coast League South Division, the Corvallis Knights blasted the Bend Elks 15-2 on Monday at Goss Stadium, the first of three games between the two clubs.

The Knights (32-17 WCL) pounded the four pitchers the Elks trotted out to the mound, ending the game with 20 hits, four of which went for extra bases. Bend starter Martin Brown did not make it out of the third inning, allowing four runs on six hits in 21⁄3 innings. Corvallis led 4-2 after three innings and put the game away with a seven-run sixth inning that made the score 13-2.

The Elks (30-19), who are two games back of Corvallis in the WCL South Division with five regular-season games left on the schedule, managed seven hits in the league loss. Seth Spivey was the only Bend player to collect multiple hits as he recorded a 2-for-2 performance at the plate that included a double.

The Elks are at Corvallis again today and Wednesday before returning home on Friday for the start of a three-game series against the Walla Walla Sweets.

— Bulletin staff report