Knoch baseball flummoxed by Ambridge pitching in WPIAL Class 4A first-round loss
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Knoch's Noah Glassic (15) stops a foul ball behind third base in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Alexander Eddy (5) tags Ambridge out at second base in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) rounds third base as the team gets its third out in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Noah Glassic (15) tags Ambridge out at third base in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Noah Glassic (15) throws to first base in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Zane Pacek (39) pitches in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Zane Pacek (39) pitches in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Cody Stull (13) prepares to bat in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Cody Stull (13) pitches in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Dylan Roth (3) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Zane Pacek (39) pitches in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kaden Dreher (4) bats in a WPIAL Class 4A baseball first-round game against Ambridge at North Allegheny High School on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
WEXFORD — Working on a three-hit shutout, Ambridge left-hander Joe Leseiko was forced to sit down due to an hour-and-40-minute lightning and rain delay Wednesday at North Allegheny.
He wasn’t about to stay down.
The sophomore returned to the mound after the delay — his team leading Knoch 5-0 through six innings at the time of the stoppage — and retired the Knights in order in the seventh to preserve the Bridgers’ WPIAL Class 4A baseball playoff victory.
“I left it up to him whether he wanted to finish (after the lengthy delay),” Ambridge coach Zach Dugan said. “He really wanted it. This was his game.”
Leseiko threw 102 pitches, struck out six and walked two. He fanned two of the three batters he faced in the seventh.
“We couldn’t figure him out,” Knoch coach Bill Stoops said. “We played clean defense, pitched very well. ... You’re not going to win if you only get three hits.
“He was hitting his spots. We only struck out a few times but couldn’t find the hits.”
Knoch (10-12) started Zane Pacek on the mound. He permitted all five Ambridge runs, allowing six hits, before being pulled in favor of senior Cody Stull with two outs in the fourth.
Stull struck out seven and allowed only one hit in the final 3.1 innings.
“Cody always does a solid job,” Stoops said. “He kept us in the game, gave us a chance. We just didn’t hit.”
Ambridge (9-10) scored twice in the first inning. Adam Fernandez singled and wound up scoring on an infield out. Carter Mason delivered a two-out RBI single later in the inning.
The Bridgers added three runs in the fifth. Jordan Janicki lined a single to center and AJ Gerace was hit by a pitch. Aidyn Iorfido bunted the runners up, and No. 9 hitter Eli Hartman delivered a sacrifice fly. Leseiko had a run-scoring double to cap the rally.
“We never play small ball, but it worked tonight,” Dugan said.
Kyle Morgan, Stull and pinch-hitter Eli Andrews had singles for the Knights. Morgan was stranded at second base in the first inning, Cooper Allison at third base in the second.
“Those were early opportunities to score that we missed on,” Stoops said.
Knoch did not get another runner as far as second base after the second inning.
“Everything was working for Joe tonight,” Dugan said of his pitcher. “He was in complete control.”
The Bridgers move on to play top-seeded Indiana on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.
Ambridge 200 300 0 — 5 7 0
Knoch 000 000 0 — 0 3 0
WP: Joe Leseiko 7IP (6so, 2bb). LP: Zane Pacek 3.2IP (3so,1bb).
Ambridge (9-10): Adam Fernandez 3-1B RBI 2-R, Joe Leseiko 2B RBI, Evan Francis RBI, Carter Mason 2-1B RBI, Jordan Janicki 1B, Eli Hartman RBI.
Knoch (10-12): Kyle Morgan 1B, Eli Andrews 1B, Cody Stull 1B.
