JEFFERSON TWP — Taylor Davis watched Knoch teammate Bailey Rickenbrode get intentionally walked in front of her.

“It worked me up,” the Knights' right fielder said.

And she delivered.

The walk to Rickenbrode loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning of a tie game. Davis lined a two-strike single to left, giving Knoch a 6-5 Section 1-4A softball victory over Freeport Tuesday at Laura Doerr Park.

Davis is a former teammate of many of the Yellowjacket players. Her family moved into the South Butler School District two years ago.

“I know a lot of those girls,” she said. “I hit an outside fastball and just went with it. My approach didn't change with two strikes.”

Knoch won its third straight game, improving to 4-1 in a tight section. Freeport is 2-2 in section play.

“Every game in this section is going to be a dogfight,” Knoch coach Gary Coe said. “That's the way it's been so far and that's the way it's going to be.

“Teams are going to knock each other off. If we take care of our business, we'll be OK.”

Rickenbrode drilled a grand slam to the opposite field — the ball clearing the right field fence — with two outs in the third inning to give the Knights a 5-3 lead.

“Just like Taylor's hit, an outside fastball,” she said of the home run.

Freeport rallied to tie the game in the fifth. Autumn Powell grounded a ball to shortstop, the throw home being wide of the mark as Sydney Selker crossed the plate. Abby DeJidas beat out a bunt single to plate the tying run.

The rest of the game was a study in frustration for the Yellowjackets. With a runner at third and still no one out in the fifth, Knoch starting pitcher Brynnae Coe struck out a pair and induced a pop-out to first to escape further damage.

Coe walked the first two batters in Freeport's sixth inning — her seventh and eighth walks of the day — and was replaced on the mound by Rickenbrode.

“This was (Brynnae's) first time she's pitched in a while,” Coach Coe said. “She had had enough.”

An Emily Schmidt sacrifice bunt moved the runners up, but Rickenbrode fielded a pop fly to the mound and Abby DeJidas flew out to center to end the threat.

Jenna Selker doubled to lead off the Freeport seventh and Savanna Urik bunted her to third. Two strikeouts ended the inning.

“We played good defense when we had to,” Coach Coe said.

“I always have faith in the girls playing behind me,” Rickenbrode said. “We may have a bobble here and there, but we get the job done.

“Brynnae and I back each other up pitching. When I go in and pitch, my mind's a blank. I stay calm and just throw the ball.”

Coe walked to begin Knoch's seventh inning. Marissa Melius hit a hard grounder up the middle that deflected off the pitcher. A Lindsay Edwards sacrifice bunt set up the intentional walk to Rickenbrode and Davis' winning hit.

“This was a big win, for sure,” Rickenbrode said.

Knoch coach Sam Ross could not be reached for comment after the game.

Freeport 201 020 0 — 5 7 0

Knoch 104 000 1 — 6 8 2

1 out when winning run was scored

W: Bailey Rickenbrode 2IP (2K, 0BB). L: Sydney Selker 6.1IP (2K, 5BB).

Freeport (3-4, 2-2): Maya Borghol 1B, Sydney Selker 1B 3-R, Emily Schmidt 2-1B 2-RBI, Autumn Powell 1B 2-RBI, Abby DeJidas 1B RBI, Jenna Selker 2B

Knoch (5-3, 4-1): Liv Vissari 2-1B 2-R, Brynnae Coe 1B, Lindsay Edwards 2B RBI, Bailey Rickenbrode HR 4-RBI, Taylor Davis 1B RBI, Madi Gardner 2B, Marissa Melius 1B

Thursday: Knoch at Hampton

Monday: Highlands at Freeport