Ryan Letzelter admits that he felt the pressure.

The Knoch senior stood his ground, and came out of it a better pitcher.

With the Knights clinging to a 5-4 lead over Mars Wednesday night at Pullman Park, Letzelter faced the bases loaded with just one out.

He struck out Planets’ shortstop Kevin Giallonardo swinging before inducing Matt Eperesi to foul out to end the game.

Knoch’s one-run win kept Mars from clinching the Section 4 baseball title outright, though the Planets can still achieve that with a win today at East Allegheny.

Wednesday’s game was a continuation of a contest that began Monday at Mars’ field. The action picked up at Pullman Park with no score in the top of the second inning.

Letzelter earned the save after recording the final six outs. He was charged with one run while striking out three and walking two.

“He was fantastic today,” said Knoch coach George Bradley. “When he came in to pitch, I told him, ‘This is your time.’ Against those last two batters, he could have puckered, but didn’t.”

“After the game, I told him that he was ready for the playoffs,” he added. “He has really good stuff.”

Nick Comport led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error. With one out, Ben Erdahl managed an infield single and Alex Smith walked to load the bases before Letzelter, and the Knights, escaped.

“Mars is an extremely talented team,” Letzelter said. “You can’t help but feel the pressure in a situation like that, but you just have to deal with it.

“I just tried to move the location of my pitches and change speeds,” he added. “I always look forward to playing these guys.”

The three baserunners Mars stranded in the seventh made 14 in the game.

The Planets also left runners at second and third in the sixth frame.

That inning ended when Mars’ David Bednar blistered the ball back toward Letzelter, whose glove was in the right place at the right time. He snagged the line drive for the final out of the inning.

“Give him (Letzelter) credit, he stuck his glove out and gave himself a chance to make the play,” said Mars coach Brian Hobaugh. “That’s the way baseball goes sometimes. I’m proud of the way we battled.”

Knoch led 5-0 through four and a half innings before the Planets began a rally against Knoch starter and eventual winning pitcher Justin Grossman.

He walked Sam Swiatek with the bases loaded, forcing in a run, and was pulled in favor of Gavin Miller.

Miller then walked Bednar, forcing in a second run charged to Grossman.

Letzelter relieved Miller with one on and no outs in the sixth, after which Giallonardo drilled a two-run double, Mars’ final runs of the game.

The Knights did all of their scoring in the second through the fourth innings.

Hunter Balliet singled home two runs in the second.

Jordan Hickey scored on a Mars error in the third, while another Planet miscue allowed Ty Smith to come home in the fourth.

Later in that inning, the Knights successfully executed a suicide squeeze. Grossman’s bunt allowed Chase Voltz to score to make it 5-0.

The Knights tallied all eight of their hits in the first four innings against Bednar.

“He’s only a junior, but is one of the best pitchers in the section,” Bradley said of Bednar. “You have to get to him early.”

Comport came on in relief for Mars and held the Knights scoreless over the final three innings.

“He struggled a bit at the beginning of the year,” said Hobaugh, “but has turned things around. He did a great job today.”

Mars is not yet focused on the playoffs. Its game against East Allegheny today is a key one for team morale.

If the Planets happen to lose, they would have to share the section crown with Hampton.

“It’s very important,” said Hobaugh. “Our goal is to win the section outright.”

Knoch (10-4 in section play) had already assured itself of a WPIAL playoff berth, but its win did succeed in knocking Indiana (9-5) out of playoff contention.

Knoch 021 200 0 — 5 8 2Mars 000 022 0 — 4 11 3W: Justin Grossman 4.1 IP (3K, 3BB).

L: David Bednar 3+ IP (2K, 0BB).

S: Ryan Letzelter 2 IP (3K, 2BB).

Knoch (12-7, 10-4): Justin Grossman 1B RBI, Jordan Hickey 1B R, Taylor Sharer 1B, Luke Kroneberg 1B, Nate Sarnese 1B R, Andy Fritz 1B, Chase Voltz 1B R, Hunter Balliet 1B 2RBI, Ty Smith 2R

Mars (14-4, 11-2): Alex Smith 1B 2R, Kevin Giallonardo 1B 2B R 2RBI, Matt Eperesi 2-1B, C.J. Weigand 1B, Sam Swiatek 2B RBI, David Bednar 1B RBI, Dylan Stewart 1B, Ben Erdahl 2-1B R

Today: Mars at East Allegheny; Knoch at Ellwood City