HAMPTON — Trailing by six runs against one of the top pitchers in the WPIAL did not bode well for Knoch.

The Knights scrapped their way back against Hopewell ace left-hander Joey Rock, however, scoring three runs in the fifth and forcing him from the game on pitch count Monday at Hampton's Fridley Field.

Knoch wound up getting the tying run to the plate three times late, but fell short in an 8-6 WPIAL Class 4A playoff loss to the Vikings.

“Our kids fought back. We played hard. We just didn't win,” Knoch coach Sean O'Donnell said.

The Knights (14-4) ended their season with a three-game losing streak.

“I think we lost our edge a bit in these last few games, lost a bit of confidence,” O'Donnell admitted.

Hopewell (13-9) took command of the game by scoring three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth, turning a 2-1 deficit into an 8-2 lead. The surge knocked Knights starting pitcher Jack Bartek out of the game.

Singles by Mark Phillippi and Jon Miklos — the No.'s 8 and 9 hitters in Hopewell's lineup — fueled both rallies. That duo combined for five singles, three RBI and three runs.

“You never know how a baseball game is gonna go,” Hopewell coach Mike Shuleski said. “I'm sure neither side figured on an 8-6 score in this one.

“These playoff games are something else. They feel like they're five hours long when you're playing. When it's over, it feels like it took five minutes.”

Knoch entered the game as the No. 2 seed in WPIAL 4A. Hopewell pitcher Rock entered the contest with a 1.35 earned run average, 81 strikeouts and only six walks in 51.2 innings pitched. He is headed to Ohio University,

When Rock had to leave the game with 102 pitches with one out in the sixth, the Knights had collected eight hits and five runs against him.

“When you're a lower seed like we are, you know you're going to play a quality team,” Shuleski said. “Knoch can hit the ball. Look what they did against Joey.”

Trailing 8-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, the Knights received RBI singles from Ethan Sloane and Dylan Swarmer. Ben McMillen's sacrifice fly cut the margin to 8-5 and brought Isaac Love to the plate representing the tying run.

With two runners on base, Rock got Love to fly out to right, ending the inning.

Tyler Pigoni wound up getting the save for Hopewell. He pitched a scoreless sixth. Sloane reached on an error and scored on McMillen's infield out in the seventh.

Within 8-6 and with a runner on first, Love grounded into a force play to end the game.

“I love the way we fought back,” O'Donnell said. “I'd got into battle with this bunch of guys against any team in the WPIAL. They're fighters.

“We have a staff of pitchers. Today, we had to face an ace. That's a tough draw, but we didn't complain back in 2015 (Knoch's state title run) when we had the aces. You take what you get.”

Hopewell out together an 11-hit attack. Miklos had three singles and a RBI, Tyler Sabo two singles and three runs scored.

“We had hits up and down the lineup today, 1 through 9,” Shuleski said. “That's what it took to win this game.”

Jake Herrit had three singles for Knoch. Sloane scored a pair of runs while Swarmer and McMillen had two RBI each.

Knoch produced three unconventional double plays in the contest. Hopewell's Jale McGovern lined out to first baseman McMillen in the second inning and Phillippi was doubled off the first base bag. Tyler Beck lined out to McMillen for the same type of double play to end the fourth.

Hopewell had a chance to add on to its four-run fifth inning, but Alex Kunzmann hit a ground ball to second baseman Love. Love tried tagging the runner moving for first to second, but missed. His throw to first retired Kunzmann.

Sabo tried scoring from secod on the play, but was thrown out by McMillen.

“There are a lot of ups and downs in baseball,” Shuleski said. “We didn't play an A-1 game today, but we never allowed one mistake to be followed by another. We picked each other up.”

Hopewell 010 340 0 — 8 11 4

Knoch 101 030 1 — 6 9 4

W: Joey Rock 5.1IP (7K, 2BB). L: Jack Bartek 4.2IP (0K, 0BB).

Hopewell (13-9): Joe McGovern 1B RBI, Tyler Beck RBI, Mitch Heranic 1B, Joey Rock 1B, Tyler Sabo 2-1B 3-R, Alex Kunzmann 1B RBI, Mark Phillippi 2-1B 2-RBI 2-R, John Miklos 3-1B RBI

Knoch (14-4): Alex Altmire 2-R, Andy Pipes 2-1B, Ethan Sloane 1B RBI 2-R, Dylan Swarmer 1B 2-RBI, Jake Herrit 3-1B, Ben McMillen 1B 2-RBI, Sean McGill 1B