Knoch baseball coach George Bradley doesn't mind the difficult early season schedule.

He welcomes it.

“It's the way we want to do it,” Bradley said. “It's one thing to win 18-0 against a single-A team or something, but you don't get anything out of it. Let's play a big boy.”

Knoch opened its season last week with an impressive win over quad-A Butler and faced another bigger school Tuesday night against Pine-Richland.

The Knights led 4-3 before the Rams put up three runs in the top of the fifth inning on the way to a 7-4 win at Pullman Park.

Bradley was happy with the loss, though, because he said a lot more can be gleaned from that than a lopsided win against an inferior opponent.

“It was competitive,” Bradley said. “We made some mistakes, but that's how you learn. I told them, 'You play a good team like that, you have to play your A-game. Go home, take your shoes off, be a good son or brother. Game's over. Tomorrow is a new day.”

Knoch starting pitcher Gavin Miller struggled with his command on a very frigid night. He struck out two, but walked two and threw 50 pitches before being removed to start the third inning.

Tall freshman left-hander Cole Shinsky relieved Miller and pitched well. But he, too, struggled with his control, issuing four walks. Two of those free passes came around to score in the decisive fifth inning as Shinsky took the loss.

“We walked too many. Too many,” Bradley said.

Pine-Richland (2-0) is built on patience at the plate and speed on the bases. The Rams showed both against Knoch, getting 20 baserunners and stealing three bases.

“We always talk about getting on base and creating things with our athleticism and speed,” P-R coach Wolfe said.

Jack Hudac picked up the win for Pine-Richland, despite scuffling himself. Hudac walked two and hit two batters and was touched up for three runs in the bottom on the second inning on just two hits.

The big blow was a two-run double off the bat of Ty Smith, who also had a single for Knoch (1-1).

Matt McCarthy picked up the save for Pine-Richland.

The left-hander promptly picked off a Knoch baserunner at second as soon as he came in for Hudac, then retired six straight before getting out of a jam in the seventh.

“All three of his pitches were working,” Wolfe said. “He was throwing all three for strikes. He was getting ahead of hitters. That's what you need to do. It's a simple game when you think about it.”

Of the seven runs Knoch surrendered, only three were earned.

Taylor Sharer also had two hits and scored two runs for Knoch, which will travel to play Franklin Regional on Thursday.

“That's what this time of year is for,” Bradley said. “We're practicing stuff. It's a learning process even for me, so when we get into section play, we'll know what we can do.”

Pine-Richland 210 031 0 — 7 11 1

Knoch 031 000 0 — 4 5 4

W: Jack Hudak 4IP (2K, 2BB). L: Cole Shinsky 2IP (2K, 4BB). SV: Matt McCarthy

Pine-Richland (2-0): David Laylock 2-1B, Daane Berezo 1B 2B, Shane Heim 1B, Shea Sullivan 1B, Hudak 1B, Jamie Switalski 1B, J.T. Riley 1B 2B 2-RBI, Andrew Nussbaum 1B

Knoch (1-1): Taylor Sharer 2-1B 2-R, Caleb Thorn 2B RBI, Ty Smith 1B 2B 2-RBI, Hunter Balliet RBI

Today: Pine-Richland at Seneca Valley

Thursday: Knoch at Franklin Regional