JACKSON TWP — Knoch's defense had been flawless through six innings of Tuesday's non-section softball game against Seneca Valley.

The seventh frame, however, was a different story.

Two miscues by the Knights helped the Raiders score the tying run before Olivia Madey's base hit with one out plated Madison Hans with the deciding run in a 5-4 victory at Raider Field.

Trouble began early in the inning for the Knights as Morgan Aloi led off with a single — her third hit of the game — and ended up at third base after the ball was misplayed in the outfield.

“We didn't play as well defensively in the seventh as we had hoped,” said Knoch coach Tim Knappenberger. “It's a close game in the bottom of the seventh and the leadoff hitter gets on, ends up at third with no outs. That makes it really tough.”

Madison Hans put down a bunt, but the Knights tried to get Aloi in a rundown between third base and home and did not get an out.

Mandy Magill reached on another error that allowed Aloi to score and Kearson Wagner was intentionally walked to load the bases. That brought Madey to the plate. Her hit, which was blistered past Fischer into centerfield, was SV's seventh hit in the final three innings.

Fischer had shut out the Raiders on three hits through the first four frames.

“I think we started to get more selective with the pitches we were swinging at,” said Madey. “We became more confident later in the game.”

Madey is SV's No. 5 hitter. Her 2-for-4 day against Knoch continued a trend noticed by Seneca Valley coach George Trew.

“I think she's seeing the ball a lot better,” he said. “She has really come on in the second half of the season.”

Knoch (11-5) had a chance to have a big inning early on, tallying three hits in the first inning against SV starter Claire Zimmerman. But the only run the junior allowed in the frame came when Erin Luffy doubled home Monica Gourley.

Wagner relieved Zimmerman at the start of the fifth frame — a move that was planned before the game — and allowed a 3-run homer to Celia Knappenberger.

“Other than that, I thought our offense was pretty flat today,” Coach Knappenberger said. “You enter the bottom of the seventh with just a 1-run lead, you're putting a lot of pressure on your defense.”

The Raiders (11-5) did not let the Knights enjoy their 4-0 lead for long. In the bottom of the fifth, Aloi's 2-run triple was followed by a wild pitch that allowed her to score to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Fischer struck out five and had just the one walk, which was intentional. She saw limited action last year as a freshman, though she worked in some big games for the Knights. Tuesday's start was her sixth of this season.

“She pitched well enough to win,” Coach Knappenberger said.

Wagner earned the win with four strikeouts and no walks in her three innings.

“She made the one mistake,” Trew said of the home run allowed to Knappenberger. “She grooved one and the girl hit it out. It happens.”

Last year, the host Knights scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Raiders, 7-6.

“It seems to be a good game when we play them,” said Trew. “We came out a little flat today. It took us a while to get going.”

One out when winning run scored

Knoch 100 030 0 — 4 7 2

Seneca Valley 000 030 2 — 5 10 0

W: Kearson Wagner 3 IP (4K, 0BB). L: Amanda Fischer 6.1 IP (5K, 1BB).

Knoch (11-5): Amanda Fischer 1B, Monica Gourley 2-1B 2R, Celia Knappenberger HR 3RBI, Erin Luffy 2B RBI, Quinn Hughes 1B, Chalee Durand 1B R

Seneca Valley (11-5): Morgan Aloi 2-1B 3B 2R 2RBI, Madison Hans R, Mandy Magill 1B, Olivia Madey 2-1B RBI, Claire Zimmerman 1B, Morgan Prouty 1B R, Alex Pfab 1B R, Kassie Kavanagh 1B

Wednesday: Knoch at Riverside

Thursday: Seneca Valley at Blackhawk