JEFFERSON TWP — Abbie Thrower had no doubt.

It would have been easy for the Knoch senior third baseman to have some major misgivings with her softball team trailing Mars and its ace, Taylor Rotz, 5-0 after the first inning and 6-2 in the fifth.

Thrower, though, never wavered.

“We can score a lot of runs when we have our heart in the game,” Thrower said. “I knew our team could do it. We all wanted this game badly.”

Knoch needed this game badly. A win and the Knights clinched a playoff spot. A loss, and a promising season was over.

The Knights (9-7, 5-5) rallied from those deficits and toppled the rival Planets — the section champions — 12-9 at Laura Doerr Park Tuesday afternoon.

“I'm so proud of my team,” Thrower said.

It didn't look good early for Knoch. Usually a five-run cushion is plenty for Rotz and the Planets.

Not on this day.

“That's already some nails in the coffin,” said Knoch coach Tim Knappenberger. “But that's kind of been how this season has gone for us. This season has been a roller coaster.”

Rotz was cruising into the fifth inning. The right-hander had given up just two runs — one earned — on three hits until Knoch's offense sprang to life.

Knoch left fielder Chandler Krelow slashed a three-run triple to cut the lead to 6-5 and then scored the tying run on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Jhoey DeWalt.

Mars, though, scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning to regain the lead 7-6.

That's when the wheels really came off for the Planets.

Knoch scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Reed slapped a RBI triple to tie the game at 7-7 and then scored what was the winning run on Thrower's second hit of the game.

Hayle Fox also had a two-run single in the rally and Brittany Nulph took advantage of a catastrophic error by Mars to circle the bases, belly flopping on home plate to give the Knights a 12-7 lead.

The Planets (7-8, 7-3) got two runs back on a monster two-run home run by Kasey Jones with two outs in the top of the seventh. Niki Schlegel followed with a single, but Reed got a groundout to Thrower at third to end the game.

Thrower was a human web gem generator at third for the Knights, reaching over the fence in foul ground in the fourth inning to snag a pop up. She also made a leaping catch on a line-drive off the bat of Suzanne Papik in the seventh inning for the second out of the frame.

“Abbie's a rock,” Reed said. “It's like everyone has cameras on her and she's making new poses. It's fun to watch.”

Reed settled down after the shaky first inning, limiting Mars to just two runs until the two-run homer in the seventh.

“Codi, I can't say enough about her in the circle,” Knappenberger said. “She has become our No. 1 pitcher.”

Mars coach Michele Goodworth was not happy with the way her team played, particularly with the playoffs looming.

The Planets committed three costly errors in the game.

“We've just given games away this season,” Goodworth said. “It's just unfortunate with the amount of talent we have on this team.

“It's frustrating. We had mental errors, mental breakdowns,” Goodworth added. “We have to regroup. I'm just not quite sure which team is going to show up.”

Knappenberger hopes this Knoch team shows up.

This was the Knights' first home win of the season. Knoch has lost five of its seven games by three runs or less.

“Coming from behind against Mars is a pretty big deal for us considering this was the season,” Reed said.

“I don't know what this means for the playoffs,” Knappenberger said. “I've learned to expect the unexpected from this team.”

Mars 501 001 2 — 9 12 3

Knoch 101 046 x — 12 12 3

W: Codi Reed 7IP (2K, 1BB). L: Taylor Rotz 6IP (4K,4 BB).

Mars (7-8, 7-3): Erin Hershman 2-1B RBI, Blake Kitt 1B, Rotz 2-1B RBI, Kasey Jones HR 1B 2-RBI, Niki Schlegel 2-1B 2B RBI, Jeanna Sybert 1B, Kieran Salada 1B RBI

Knoch (9-7, 5-5): Abbi Smithmyer 1B, Sarah Steadle 1B, Karsan Simpson 2-1B 2B 2-RBI, Reed 3B 1B RBI, Abbie Thrower 2-1B RBI, Chandler Krelow 3B 3-RBI, Jhoey DeWalt 1B, Hayle Fox 1B 2-RBI

Friday: Fox Chapel at Mars; Butler at Knoch