With a chance to win the game in extra innings, Ty Smith had the green light.

On a 3-0 count with runners at second and third with two outs, Smith laced a single up the middle to score Cole Shinsky and lifted Knoch to an 8-7 victory over Ellwood City in eight innings on Saturday afternoon at Pullman Park.

“He just threw me one right down the middle, I kept my hands in and hit it right back at him,” said Smith. “It was a great feeling.”

The Knights (5-5) scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra frame.

Hyte Eurich drilled a two-RBI double to push home Jordan Hickey and Smith, before a sacrifice fly to right field from Caleb Thorn plated Chase Voltz to tie the game.

Three of Knoch's five losses have come by one run and Mars rallied for three runs in the seventh on Thursday to hand the Knights a 7-6 loss.

Knoch enjoyed finally being on the bright side of a one-run game.

“Especially when Mars did it to us last game, it's nice to come back and do it to somebody else,” said Smith. “No one likes to lose.”

“The goal is to get into the playoffs. Once that happens, I believe the more experience you have, the less likely you are to panic,” said Knoch coach George Bradley. “Today was a great victory for us.”

Shinsky — a 6-foot-2, 175-pound freshman lefty — picked up the win on the mound. He allowed two unearned runs over three innings and struck out four.

Zach Junk hurled 4 1-3 frames after starting pitcher Dustin Montgomery lasted just two-thirds of an inning. Junk gave up just one run on three hits and fanned three batters.

“Junk came in and did a very nice job. He pitched four solid innings,” said Bradley. “Cole was pitching his brains out.”

Ellwood City (2-10) stranded six runners in scoring position during the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and left the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh.

“We were bending, but we didn't break,” noted Bradley.

Ellwood City coach Jeff Fodia was disappointed to see his Wolverines falter down the stretch.

“That's been the whole season for us right there,” said Fodia. “We haven't gotten the big hits when we've needed to bust it open and we just can't finish.

“We play well, we compete, but we just don't know how to win yet,” he added. “It's almost like a fear of winning. We just don't know how to get it done.”

Tanner Walsh and Tony Joseph each went 3-for-4 for the Wolverines. Austin Richard pitched three shutout innings in relief, before the four runs — two earned — gave him the loss.

Knoch was especially pleased to earn the win while giving some players an audition during a break in section play.

“This is a non-section game, so we got to look at some other kids. Everybody has been working hard and they showed me a lot today,” said Bradley. “The ones who were playing all the time, they were cheering them on. There's a real good bonding on this team and I like that a lot.”

“We're all a team,” said Smith, who pinch-hit in the seventh. “If someone went down, anyone can step in and play and we know that.”

Ellwood City 410 001 10 — 7 12 3

Knoch 202 000 31 — 8 14 3

W: Cole Shinsky 3IP (3K, 1BB). L: Austin Richard 4 2-3 IP (4K, 4BB).

Ellwood City (2-10): Seth Mley 2B, R; Tanner Walsh 3-1B, 3-R, RBI; Dillon Horgan 1B, RBI; Zach Mathias 2B, R, 2-RBI; Joey Ionilli 1B, R; Tony Joseph 3-1B; Josh Williams R; Collin Roth 1B; Jake Varrati 1B

Knoch (5-5): Chase Voltz 2-1B, 2-R; Hyte Eurich 2B, 1B, R, 2-RBI; Caleb Thorn 2-1B, R, RBI; Andy Fritz 2B, R; Cole Shinsky 2-1B, R, RBI; Chris Law 2B, 1B, RBI; Spencer Voltz 1B; Jordan Hickey R; Jesse Vereb 1B; Ty Smith 1B, R, RBI

Monday: Knoch at New Castle