It took Freeport junior pitcher Ethan McCormick a few batters to get comfortable.

Once the right-hander did, though, he was in command.

McCormick struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings and gave up just two earned runs to help the Yellowjackets to a 14-7 win over Knoch on a blustery Monday afternoon at Pullman Park.

“He did pretty well,” said Freeport coach Chris Graczyk. “This was his first real varsity game. At the end of the first inning, he settled down and then we got him some run support.”

Many of those runs were unearned on a tough day in the field for both teams.

Knoch committed 10 errors — many on bad throws — that led to 12 unearned runs.

Freeport had five errors that led to four unearned runs.

“I was pleased with the way we hit the ball,” Graczyk said. “We put the ball in play and I tell them all the time, ‘When you put the ball in play, good things happen.'”

Good things didn't happen in the field for Knoch.

But Knights coach George Bradley isn't panicking about the plethora of fielding errors.

“If anything coming in, I thought our defense was shored up,” Bradley said. “We have been pounding the ball at them (in practice) and they have been fielding everything. For whatever reason, once they started coming (today), they just kept coming.”

The fielding woes ruined a pretty good start from left-hander Justin Grossman, who gave up three unearned runs in three innings of work, including four strikeouts and no walks.

Mac Megahan picked up the loss. He pitched one inning, but was hurt by four errors behind him that led to a six-run fourth inning for the Yellowjackets that broke open the game.

“You don't get too high or too low,” Bradley said. “Tomorrow is another day. I don't want them to leave here thinking they are horrible fielders because I don't think that and our coaching staff doesn't think that. Now if it keeps happening and we're standing here at the end of the week talking about it, then that would be a problem.”

Freeport had 12 hits in the win, led by a 4-for-5 game by Robbie Miller and a two-run triple off the bat of Dustin Koedel.

Luke Marriotti pitched the final 12/3 for the Yellowjackets.

While happy about opening the season with a win, Graczyk was a little dismayed about how rough around the edges it was.

“We need to tighten some things up on defense,” Graczyk said. “It's game one. The first one is always the toughest one.”

Freeport 003 065 0 — 14 12 5Knoch 102 202 0 — 7 7 10W: Ethan McCormick 5.1 IP (8K, 5BB).

L: Mac Megahan 1 IP (2K, 3BB).

Freeport (1-0): Cody Kaniecki 2-1B 3-RBI, Dustin Koedel 3B 2-RBI, Robbie Miller 3-1B 2B RBI, Matt Swartz 1B 2-RBI

Knoch (0-1): Josh Sheppeck 1B 2B, Megahan 2-1B 2-RBI, Justin Grossman 4-R, Eddie Stockert 2-1B

Today: Knoch vs. Butler at Pullman Park, 6:45; Freeport at Highlands