JEFFERSON TWP - Knoch needed more than a well-pitched game from John Lefevre to defeat Hampton Wednesday at Laura Doerr Park.

It needed a well-executed bunt, as well.

Lefevre's safety-squeeze bunt plated Justin Demek from third with the deciding run in the sixth inning as the Knights posted a 2-1 high school baseball victory in a mutual Section 1-AAA opener.

"John's shown the ability to bunt the ball in game situations, so we called a safety squeeze," said Knoch coach Curt Schnur. "I basically told him to bunt for a base-hit."

Lefevre had laid down a sacrifice bunt in the second inning, giving the Knights runners at second and third with one out, but his team failed to score.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when No. 9 hitter Dan Pickard doubled to left with two outs for Knoch. Bobby Kruth followed with a single to center.

Hampton center fielder Sean Hennessey's throw arrived at the plate in plenty of time to get the sliding Pickard, but the catcher dropped the ball while applying the tag.

Hampton tied the game in the top of the sixth when Chris Beatty doubled and scored on John Boy's safety-squeeze bunt.

The Talbots missed scoring opportunities earlier in the game.

Steve Paskorz tripled to lead off Hampton's second inning, but Lefevre struck out the next two batters and got Zach Ingoldsby to fly out to center.

Hampton had runners at second and third with one out in the fourth, but Ingoldsby hit a grounder back to the mound and Josh Campanella struck out.

"The way we had been hitting the ball, our approach early was to swing the bat and drive runners in," Hampton coach Gary Wilson said. "But that wasn't working today, so we bunted a run home late.

"This game turned into quite a pitcher's duel."

Lefevre struck out 11 and pitched a four-hitter to improve to 3-0 on the year. He allowed only one hit in the final four innings.

Hampton entered the contest averaging more than 10 hits per game, scoring 11 runs against Mt. Lebanon and 15 against Seneca Valley.

Lefevre has struck out 25 and walked just three in his last two starts - both complete-game victories. The senior right-hander threw 120 pitches Wednesday, 95 for strikes.

"I wasn't a strikeout pitcher last year," Lefevre said. "I guess I got a little stronger."

"John brings a lot of mental toughness to the mound," Schnur said. "He's a competitor. That's how he pitched out of those jams.

"He spots his fastball where he wants it for strikes and he spots his curve for strikes. If a high school pitcher has two pitches he can spot for strikes, he'll do just fine."

Lefevre bunts the ball where he wants to as well.

"That was the right time to do it," he said of his game-winning RBI. "We work on bunting a lot in practice."

Austin Leffler doubled and singled to lead Knoch's six-hit attack. Hampton starter Kevin Barberich threw 54 of 81 pitches for strikes and struck out nine, but was lifted after allowing consecutive singles to Demek and Leffler to begin the sixth.

"Our section has a lot of tough teams and games are going to be dogfights like this one all year," Schnur said.

Wilson agreed.

"Curt and I have been playing games like this against each other for years," the Hampton coach said. "I didn't see this one being any different."

Hampton 000 001 0 - 1 4 0

Knoch 000 011 x - 2 6 3

WP:

John Lefevre (7 IP) 11 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP:

Kevin Barberich (5 IP) 9 strikeouts, 2 walks

Hampton (3-2):

Sean Hennessey 1B, Brad Docherty 1B, Chris Beatty 2B, Steve Paskorz 3B, John Boy RBI

Knoch (4-1):

Bobby Kruth 1B RBI, Justin Thompson 1B, Justin Demek 1B, John Lefevre RBI, Dan Pickard 2B, Austin Leffler 2B 1B

Friday:

Knoch @ Pine-Richland