Knoch stays alive
WEST MIFFLIN — Her first at-bat led to new life for her team, the second a spot in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 4A softball playoffs.
Knoch trailed by two runs entering the bottom of the sixth of its clash against 11th-seeded Uniontown in the tournament’s initial round, and junior Brynne Smith was instrumental in making sure the Knights moved on.
Her RBI single in that inning, then a walk-off three frames later earned Knoch a 7-6 extra-innings victory at West Mifflin High School.
“She struggled early on, but she’s a girl who’s clutch,” Knights coach Chris Gardner said, adding that Smith had another game-ending extra-innings base knock against West Mifflin earlier in the year.
Freshman Lizzie Danik kicked off Knoch’s ninth turn at the plate with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and third tagging up after a flyout. Smith’s connection with a 1-2 offering dropped down in left field, pushing her home.
“They just got a hit when they needed to make a hit, and we didn’t,” Red Raiders coach Jason White said. “That’s kind of the game sometimes.”
Even down late, the Knights (11-8) were undeterred.
“They’ve done it all year,” Gardner said. “They’ve battled and come back in games. We give up a couple, we score ‘em back … They didn’t give up.”
Two innings earlier, Smith batted in Sennett Purcell, who got on and stood in at third via a throwing error. Madison Gardner’s RBI sac fly scored Smith from third with one out after an infield bunt single by Carissa Tekely and a walk by Lindsey Wise.
“Just working on base hits,” Smith said of the team’s focus when facing the late deficit. “We don’t worry about cranking it over the fence. It just matters to hit at the time, not hitting it 25 feet over the fence.”
Madison Gardner came across on a wild pitch in the fifth to knot matters at four. Knoch only entered one inning with a lead, that being after Alena Tekely scored on a fielding error in the third. Uniontown (5-10) pulled back even after a two-out walk by Di’Saya Craggette, who stole second and got home on an error.
Grace Hensch and Marlee Fraser both had RBI singles in the first inning, leveling the scoreboard after a pair of defensive miscues gifted Uniontown two runs in the top of that frame. Fraser also pitched all nine frames, throwing a total of 155 pitches.
The Red Raiders’ Kitana Critchfield was tagged out trying to get home to end the top of the eighth inning. Lyric Mclee and Graci Rodeheaver were both caught stealing in extras after baserunning was a strength of their team’s for most of the contest.
Knoch will face off with No. 3 Chartiers Valley on Wednesday, with the time and location to be decided.
“I think we’re feeling really confident coming into the second round,” Smith said. “I think today was definitely a booster, even though it was a little rocky at some points. The way we hit today is definitely going to help us push further in the playoffs.”
Uniontown 200 112 000 — 6 12 6
Knoch 201 012 001 — 7 11 2
WP: Marlee Fraser 9IP (13K, 5BB). LP: Emmaleigh Noah 9IP (1K, 2B)
Uniontown (5-10): Emmaleigh Noah 3-1B 2B 2R, Graci Rodeheaver 3-1B 2RBI, Sequoia Dunlap 3-1B 3B 2R, Kaylee Mutnansky RBI, Lyric Mclee 1B
Knoch (11-8): Lindsay Edwards 2B 1B R, Madison Garnder RBI R, Grace Hensch 2B 1B, Alena Tekely 2R, Lizzie Danik 3-1B R, Marlee Fraser 1B RBI, Sennett Purcell R, Brynne Smith 2-1B 2RBI, Carissa Tekely 1B
Wednesday: Knoch vs. Chartiers Valley, time and location to be decided
