Laine Strikes Out 14 in Shutout Win

Sophomore pitcher Avery Laine struck out a career-high 14 batters for the second time this season in a 7-0 home win over Mesa to help the Knights move into a second place tie in the PCAC with a 4-4 record. It was also the second time this season that Laine and closer Erik Radder earned a combined shutout. 

Laine, who made his fifth start this year, got all the run support he needed in the bottom of the first. Catcher Alex Gonzalez hit a lead-off home run, his sixth, to put the Knights on the board in a hurry. 

Three batters later, Jake Pfitzner's ground out allowed Jesse Chacon to score from third base to give City a 2-0 lead. 

The Knights added a run in the third inning on an Isaiah Hilke RBI single that gave Quinn Johnson enough time to slide home from second base. 

Laine, meanwhile, struck out at least two Mesa batters in each of the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings while allowing only three hits. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Chaz Kaneakua blasted a 3-run homer, his first of the season, to give City a 6-0 advantage.

After Gonzalez scored the Knights' seventh run in the sixth inning on a wild pitch, Laine struck out the side in the top of the seventh and then finished off his outing by getting all three batters to pop out in the eighth.

Radder closed it out in the 9th without any trouble as the Knights improved to 11-9 overall. 

With his 14 strikouts on Saturday, Laine now has a total of 47 in five appearances, which is tied for 14th most in the state. Bobby Perebzak is also near the top with 56 strikeouts (T-4th).

The Knights will play a two-game series against undefeated Palomar (14-7, 8-0 PCAC) this week starting with a home game at Morley Field on Tuesday at 2 p.m. City will then travel to Palomar for a 2 p.m. game on Thursday.