Since the Knoch baseball team's last game at Pullman Park, the temperature has heated up — and so have the Knights' bats.

In a 4-3 extra-inning loss to Hampton at Pullman April 9, Knoch managed just four hits.

But the Knights totaled 11 hits in beating New Castle 10-3 Wednesday.

That production came after the team scored 11 runs on 16 hits in a win at Ambridge Monday.

"I told the guys that, compared to that game against Hampton, the middle of our lineup came through today," said Knoch coach Curt Schnur. "That was nice to see."

The Knights' three, four and five hitters, Dale Gallo, Cullen Hinderliter and Robert Zanella, combined for six hits, three runs and seven RBI Wednesday.

Hinderliter, who also was the game's winning pitcher after striking out 10 in a complete game, capped the offense with a three-run home run over the left-field wall in the bottom of the sixth.

"When Cullen's pitching, we know we have a guy who is going to throw strikes," said Schnur. "He's a bulldog and so competitive."

A key sequence in the game came in the top of the fifth.

The Red Hurricanes had just tied the score at 2 after Jordan Izzo's single scored Sean Coyne.

With runners at second and third and one out, New Castle's No. 5 hitter, Jajuan Jay, stepped to the plate.

The senior squared to lay down a suicide squeeze bunt, but Hinderliter's off-speed pitch was off the plate. Jay reached to make contact, but missed and New Castle's G.J. Senchak was caught in a rundown between third base and home.

The Knights easily got the second out, then caught Izzo, who was held up between second and third, in a rundown.

An inning that could have yielded at least the lead for New Castle instead produced only one run.

"That kind of took the wind out of our sails," said New Castle assistant coach Chris Lombardo. "(Jay) has been struggling at the plate of late, and we thought a suicide squeeze could work in that situation. It was a huge play in the game."

After dodging New Castle's threat in the top of the inning, the Knights (5-4, 2-1) wasted no time getting the lead back in the bottom of the fifth.

Mac Megahan led off with a single and Andrew Wirtz walked. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and scored on Gallo's base hit.

Zanella's single plated Gallo for a 5-2 edge.

Nine of the Knights' 10 runs were charged to Hurricanes starter, Senchak, who surrendered 10 hits, striking out three and walking two in 5 1/3 innings.

The left-hander was pulled in the sixth inning after an RBI-single from Wirtz and Cashell scored on an error to make it a 7-3 game.

Hinderliter hit his home run against Coyne, who finished the game for New Castle (5-5, 1-3).

Knoch did commit five errors in the contest.

"We were pretty solid in the field before the section games started," said Schnur. "But we've now made 15 errors in three games and it is a concern. We'll just keep working on things in practice."

New Castle 001 011 0 — 3 8 3Knoch 110 035 x — 10 11 5W: Cullen Hinderliter 7 IP (10 K, 0 BB).

L: G.J. Senchak 5Z\c IP (3 K, 2 BB).

New Castle (5-5, 1-3): Justin Fleo R, Sean Coyne 1B R, G.J. Senchak 1B 2B, Jordan Izzo 1B 3B 2 RBI, Jajuan Jay SB, John Fields 1B, Dillon Robbins 2-1B R

Knoch (5-4, 2-1): Mac Megahan 1B 2R, Andrew Wirtz 1B 2R RBI, Dale Gallo 1B 2R 2 RBI, Cullen Hinderliter 2-1B HR 4 RBI, Robert Zanella 2-1B RBI, Nathan Junk 1B R, Marcus Cashell 1B 2B 2R, Mark Keck SB

Friday: Knoch at Blackhawk