WEST MIFFLIN — Knoch senior catcher Asa Adams believes the WPIAL did the Knights’ program a solid favor by changing its playoff format.

The WPIAL baseball committee voted to make the change the Friday before the postseason started.

Following the first round, the quarterfinal and semifinal games were scheduled to be played in the same week.

The change was aimed at preventing teams from throwing the same pitcher in consecutive rounds.

With Knoch’s pitching depth — starting with top pitcher Cole Shinsky and No. 2 Alex Stobert — Adams thought the Knights would be tough to stop.

Stobert threw seven scoreless innings in the Knights’ 2-0 win over Montour Wednesday at West Mifflin High School.

Shinsky threw six innings in Knoch’s 4-3 win over Blackhawk Tuesday night and was ineligible to pitch again.

“I think it worked out to our favor,” Adams said. “A lot of teams have a great No. 1, but not many teams have a number one and two like we do. I wouldn’t consider (Stobert) a No. 2. I see him as 1-B.”

Montour also couldn’t throw its top pitcher — sophomore Trent Vietmeier, who has committed to pitch at Louisiana State University — because he threw six innings Monday in the Spartans’ 2-0 win over Indiana.

Brian Dabney, Montour’s second pitcher, limited Knoch to five hits.

Spartans coach Glenn Vietmeier would like to see the format tinkered with more.

He wishes the first round and quarterfinal games were grouped together.

“I think (Dabney) did a great job today, but for the WPIAL’s sake, I’d like to see the best pitchers go at it in the semifinals,” Vietmeier said. “We get through with a win, you enjoy it for one day, then you’re back on the road playing. (Knoch) had to come back the next day. There’s no excuses with that, the format is what it is and if they decided to do it that way, that’s the way we play.”

Knights coach George Bradley really likes the change in format.

To him, high school baseball is about opportunities.

“It’s fantastic. That’s what high school baseball should be,” Bradley said. “Even that team over there, a lot of people were concerned because they couldn’t pitch their No. 1 guy. He looked like a number one to me. He kept us off balance.”

Stobert did throw 10 pitches against the Cougars to earn the save in the semifinals.

Bradley wasn’t worried, but was comfortable Knoch’s pitching staff was deep enough to help earn the win.

“I told Jeremy Frazier to stay ready, I might need you at any time,” Bradley said. “Suppose Alex gets out there and can’t find the plate or gets hit in the ankle, we’re coming with Jeremy. I like this format because you have to have two or three guys.”