JEFFERSON TWP — Don't let Zach Bear's slim build or his No. 8 spot in the batting order fool you.

He's got some pop in his bat and he proved it in a big way Wednesday.

The Mars first baseman launched two home runs in the Planets' 6-4 Section 1-AAA win over Knoch at Laura Doerr Park.

Bear's first homer, a three-run blast in the second inning, gave Mars a 4-0 lead.

His second, a solo shot to center in the sixth, gave Mars much-needed breathing room and proved to be the winning run.

"When he gets a good fastball about belt high, he can do something with it," said Mars coach Andy Bednar. "He's had some really good at-bats for us lately."

Both home runs came off of Knoch starter Dave Govan.

They were Bear's first two home runs of the season.

"Coming up with two big hits in a big section win is what really matters," said Bear. "The fact that they were home runs is like icing on the cake."

Bear's second home run gave the Planets a 5-3 lead, but the Knights threatened in the bottom of the sixth.

Knoch's Stush Antoszyk doubled to lead off the inning and Cullen Hinderliter reached base on an error.

Dale Gallo's flyout brought home Antoszyk to make it 5-4, and the Knights had two men on after Robert Zanella's one-out single.

But winning pitcher Ryan Schroth got Brandon Wissinger to flyout before striking out Govan to end the inning.

Schroth's single in the top of the seventh scored Lee Lawver for a 6-4 edge before the former returned to the mound to close the deal.

To start the home half of the seventh, Andrew Wirtz reached on an error, Mars' fifth and final miscue of the day.

With two outs, Antoszyk singled before Hinderliter's fly ball to center ended the game.

Schroth struck out four and didn't walk a batter. Three of the four runs he surrendered were unearned.

"It seemed like Ryan was 1-2 or 0-2 on every hitter," said Bednar. "When you're around the plate like that, that's the kind of performance we needed."

Govan took the loss after giving up the six runs on 10 hits, striking out three and walking three.

"He did a good job for having an off-day," said Knoch coach Curt Schnur. "But he struggled getting ahead of guys in the count, and that makes it tough."

The Planets (5-6, 3-3) scored first when Schroth came home on Andrew Rush's single in the bottom of the second.

Two batters later, Bear sent the first of two balls over the fence, driving in Drew Glavin and Rush ahead of him.

Mars' defense helped Knoch (3-4, 3-3) get back into the game in the bottom of the inning.

Gallo and Zanella both reached on back-to-back errors before Wissinger tallied an RBI flyout and Govan tripled home a run.

Mars 040 001 1—6 10 5Knoch 030 001 0—4 6 0W: Ryan Schroth 7IP (4 K, 0 BB).

L: Dave Govan 7IP (3 K, 3 BB).

Mars (5-6, 3-3): Chris Herold 1B, Lee Lawver 2-1B R, Ryan Schroth 2-1B 2B R RBI, Drew Glavin 1B R, Andrew Rush 1B R RBI, Zach Bear 2HR 4 RBI

Knoch (3-4, 3-3): Sam Stone 2B, Stush Antoszyk 1B 2B R, Dale Gallo R RBI, Robert Zanella 1B R, Brandon Wissinger RBI, Dave Govan 3B R RBI, Andrew Wirtz 2B RBI

Today: Kiski Area at Knoch

Friday: Mars at Riverview