JEFFERSON TWP — The softball gods were not kind to Knoch.

For the first five innings, though, those gods were smiling on the Knights, who had to shuffle their lineup because of the absence of two keys starters who were on their way to Florida for a school orchestra trip.

Sophomore pitcher Shelby Bruggeman was cruising against Hampton, giving up no runs and just two hits in five innings. The offense was clicking, producing five runs in the third inning for a 5-0 lead.

Then, the sixth inning happened. Then the seventh. By the time the final out was recorded, that five-run lead had evaporated into an 8-6 home loss to the Talbots.

Bloopers that were fielded in the first five inning dropped in the final two. Line drives that were snagged out of the air whistled into the outfield.

The smiling gods began to frown.

“That's sports,” said Knoch softball coach Tim Knappenberger.

Hampton cut the Knoch lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth inning against Bruggeman. The rally was aided by two errors and two illegal pitch calls.

Knoch added a run in the bottom of the frame for a 6-3 lead, but the Talbots got two runners on to start the seventh, chasing Bruggeman.

Abbie Thrower relieved her and gave up four consecutive RBI singles after a fielding error plated another run for an 8-6 Hampton lead. Thrower got out of the inning by starting a 1-6-3 double play, but the damage was done.

Knoch went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to absorb a very tough defeat.

“They're young girls trying to play the game of softball, which is a very difficult game,” Knappenberger said. “I know they gave their best today.”

Bruggeman was brilliant for most of the game, but tired late.

It was only the second start of the season for Bruggeman.

“I know she was getting tired, but I decided to go with her in the seventh,” Knappenberger said. “I had Abbie Thrower warming up. I wanted her to try to finish. She wanted to finish.”

Six of Hampton's eight hits and all three of Knoch's errors came in the final two innings.

For Hampton (1-3, 1-3), the comeback win was much needed.

“To be honest, once we got down 5-0, I thought, 'Wow, they are very good and it's going to be tough getting back into this one,'” said Hampton coach Ron Fedell. “I told the kids, 'Look. One at-bat at a time. Keep fighting.'”

Knoch, playing without pitcher/third baseman Codi Reed and left fielder Chandler Krelow, banged out six hits in plating five runs in the third. The big hit was a two-run double by Karsan Simpson, who was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the game.

Sophomore Hayle Fox, filling in for Krelow in left field, made three great fielding plays to keep Hampton off the board in the first five innings. Thrower, filling in at third base, also made several strong plays at the hot corner.

That magic went away in the final two innings and now Knoch (5-5, 1-3) is staring up at the rest of the section in the standings.

“Just some bad luck,” Knappenberger said. “There were two bloopers that fell in. I don't know. Maybe it's just a lack of experience in the circle. If you are an experienced pitcher, maybe you get those. Maybe you have to earn them.”

Knoch won't have much time to recover. The Knights will take on section-leading Mars Thursday and will still be without Reed and Krelow.

“As you get older, you don't dwell on things. You move on,” Knappenberger said. “That's what I told them we have to do. You have to put it behind you, get better and focus on the next game. That's all you can do.”

Hampton 000 003 5 — 8 8 1

Knoch 005 001 0 — 6 9 3

W: Claire Welka 7IP (4K, 4BB). L: Abbie Thrower 1IP (0K, 0BB).

Hampton (1-3, 1-3): Sam Clutter 1B RBI, Allison Gifford 1B RBI, Paige Paskorz 1B RBI, Rachel Pletz 2-1B 2-RBI, Megan Thornton 1B RBI, Jocelyn White 2B

Knoch (5-5, 1-3): Bethany Hay 1B, Abbi Smithmyer 1B, Karsan Simpson 2B 1B 3-RBI, Abbie Thrower 2B 2-1B RBI, Brittany Nulph 1B RBI, Hayle Fox 1B, Jhoey DeWalt 1B

Thursday: Knoch at Mars