There are two ways to beat an ace high school pitcher.

Get to him early in the game. Get him out of the game late on pitch count.

Knoch tried both methods and narrowly missed each time in dropping a 4-1 decision to Yough and stellar left-hander Jarett Bach Tuesday afternoon at Michelle Krill Memorial Field at Historic Pullman Park.

The 6-foot-4 Bach throws in the low 90's and has a deceptive delivery. He has accepted a full scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh and is a viable top-10 round possibility in June's Major League Baseball amateur draft.

“We were able to score one against him in the first inning and almost got a second one,” Knoch coach Sean O'Donnell said. “Against a kid like that, you have to be aggressive early, before he settles into a groove.”

Isaac Love walked and Ethan Sloane singled to center against Bach in the Knoch first inning. After consecutive strikeouts, Braden Tristani's ground ball to first was booted. Love scored on the error and Sloane was thrown out at the plate trying to do the same thing.

The Knights (9-4, 5-4) didn't get to Bach again through six innings. Sloane tripled with one out in the third, but Sean McGill popped out to shallow center and Guy DeLeonardis grounded to second to end the threat.

Still, Knoch's 1-0 lead stood through four innings as Travis Mowery allowed only two singles in the first four frames.

“Timing is a big thing with Travis,” O'Donnell said. “I probably left him in an inning too long. He gave us a chance to won the game.

“I thought the final score might be 1-0, the way things were looking.”

RBI singles by Ray Halahuirich and Bach, along with a sacrifice fly by Mike Bell, gave Yough (10-4, 8-1) a 3-1 lead. Vinny Martin doubled and scored on a passed ball in the sixth to extend the Cougar lead to 4-1.

But Knoch wasn't done.

“Their coach does a great job with their hitters in working the count and elevating pitch count,” Yough coach Craig Spisak said. “Last time Jarett faced him, they had him out of the game by the fifth inning.”

By PIAA rule, a high school pitcher cannot face any more batters once he's thrown 100 pitches. When Bach walked Jack Bartek to begin the Knoch seventh, he had to vacate the mound with 101 pitches.

Bach struck out 11 and allowed only three hits.

Sean Royer took the mound for Yough and Eli Sutton greeted him with a single to left. Isaac Roddy reached on an infield single to load the bases with no one out.

“I felt good about where we were at, with the hitters we had coming up,” O'Donnell said.

Blaze Voltz struck out and Love flew out to right. With Sloane at the plate, Royer fired to shortstop Nate Wilkins to pick the runner off second base to end the game.

“Our assistant coach thought their guy was getting off the bag a little far and thought we had a chance to get him,” Spisak said. “You practice those little plays all the time, hoping one day they'll work for you.

“This is twice that pick-off play at second has worked for us this year.”

Yough leads Greensburg Salem by a game in Section 1-4A and plays the Golden Lions Wednesday. The loss leaves Knoch in a part of a scramble for the final two playoff spots in the section.

“We knew if we won this game, we could still win the section,” O'Donnell said. “We also knew that if we lost, we'd be in a fight to get in. I feel like we can beat anyone in the playoffs if we get in, but we have to get in.

“That pick-off was as much my fault as the runner's. I was coaching third and I didn't think his lead was all that far. Obviously, they've practiced that play and they executed it very well. Give credit to them.”

Knoch has three section games remaining. One is against Mount Pleasant Thursday afternoon at Pullman Park.

Yough 000 031 0 — 4 7 1

Knoch 100 000 0 — 1 5 1

W: Jarett Bach 6IP (11K, 3BB). L: Travis Mowery 5IP (4K, 4BB).

Yough (10-4, 8-1): Cody Ulander 2-1B, Ray Halahurich 1B RBI, Jarett Bach 1B RBI, Steve Manon 2-1B, Mike Bell RBI, Vinny Martin 2B

Knoch (9-4, 5-4): Ethan Sloane 1B 3B, Eli Sutton 2-1B, Isaac Roddy 1B

Thursday: Mount Pleasant at Knoch, 4 p.m., Pullman Park