Mowery's Masterpiece
FREEPORT — Travis Mowery showed impressive stamina for a pitcher making his first-ever varsity start.
Knoch's southpaw allowed three runs — just one earned — on three hits while going the distance in a 7-3 victory over Freeport Wednesday afternoon at Freeport Community Park.
Mowery did not allow a hit over the final four innings and retired 12 of the last 15 batters he faced. Two Yellowjackets who reached base in that span did so thanks to errors.
Mowery's effort came in 94 pitches.
“I thought I got stronger as the game went on,” he said. “I felt I could've gone even further. I throw a fastball, curveball and circle change and I was able to use them all today.”
Knoch coach Sean O'Donnell saw Mowery's success as a product of his pitching early on in the count.
“Travis is a good pitcher if he can get ahead of batters,” he said. “He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and stayed ahead.”
The Knights (6-1) were on the short end of a 3-2 score when they picked up their bats in the top of the fifth. Two errors combined with an RBI-single from Guy DeLeonardis and a two-run base hit from Isaac Roddy to give Knoch the lead for good.
It was one of several innings during which the 'Jackets struggled in the field. They committed seven errors in all. Five of the six runs charged to losing pitcher Matt Mitchell were unearned. He pitched well with four strikeouts and two walks before being pulled two batters into the sixth frame.
Mitchell weathered the storm for the first four innings, giving up just a pair of runs while stranding six.
“Matt pitched his butt off today,” said Freeport coach Ed Carr. “He's a guy who's going to let the other team put the ball in play and for whatever reason, we did not make the plays in the field. It wasn't for lack of effort, maybe a lack of focus. After that first error, it was like we were in quicksand.”
“Freeport is a solid team and they always seem to stick a good product on the field,” O'Donnell said. “But we tell our guys to do what they can to put the ball in play and give themselves a chance.”
Knoch was not immune to the error bug. The Knights made three errors. One of them came in the bottom of the third, helping a leadoff double from Coulton Stewart spark a two-run frame that gave Freeport a 3-2 edge.Roddy finished the game with three base hits for Knoch.“This was a non-section game, but it was also against a rival,” said Carr. “We expected to be more competitive today and we're disappointed in the result.”Joe Hotalski pitched the final two frames for Freeport, allowing a run on two hits and striking out three.Knoch 011 031 1 — 7 9 3Freeport 102 000 0 — 3 3 7W: Travis Mowery 7 IP (2K, 2BB). L: Matt Mitchell 5+ IP (4K, 2BB).Knoch (6-1): Ethan Sloane 1B RBI, Isaac Love 1B 2R, Sean McGill 2-1B RBI, Guy DeLeonardis 1B R RBI, Isaac Roddy 3-1B R 2RBI, Blaze Voltz 1B RBIFreeport (5-4): Joe Hotalski 2B 2R, Zach Allen 1B, Coulton Stewart 2B RFriday: Knoch at Mount Pleasant; Freeport at South Allegheny
