Knoch softball, with WPIAL section title already in hand, routs Greensburg Salem for 16th straight win
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Knoch's softball team recognized their senior players before their game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's softball team recognized their senior players before their game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Kaila Purcell (21) pitches against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch pitcher Kaila Purcell (21) gets a base hit against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's bench clears to celebrate McKenna Brailey (20) scoring against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch celebrates its win over Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Marlee Fraser (5) swings at a pitch during a softball game against on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch senior Brooke Bastin (11) throws to first for an out against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's softball team takes the field to play Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Grace Hensch (10) gets a hit against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's McKenna Brailey (20) rounds first in a softball game against Greensburg Salem on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Marlee Fraser (5) gets a base hit off Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch shortstop Emersyn Jones (28) makes a play against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Kaila Purcell (21) pitches against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch softball gets pumped up to take on Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch celebrates a good play against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch right fielder Alena Tekely catches a fly ball against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's McKenna Brailey (20) catches the ball for an out at first base against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch catcher Grace Hensch (10) catches a strike against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
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Knoch's Lizzie Danik (2) gets a base hit against Greensburg Salem in a softball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Laura Doerr Memorial Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle
JEFFERSON TWP — It will go down as one of the stranger games played this season by Knoch’s softball team. Most importantly, the result was one the Knights have become very familiar with.
Knoch did not manage a hit until two outs were gone in the fifth, but erupted for 10 runs between the fifth and sixth innings in an 11-1 defeat of Greensburg Salem at Laura Doerr Park Wednesday afternoon.
The win was the 16th straight for the Knights, who entered the game having already clinched the WPIAL Section 1-4A title.
On April 14, the Knights and Golden Lions met on the latter’s field, and Knoch earned a 2-0 victory in eight innings. Alle Scarpa was Greensburg’s pitcher that day and was in the circle again in the rematch.
“She’s a really good pitcher but started to get worn out late in that first game. We believed we could get to her that day, and we did,” Knoch coach Chris Gardner said. “Our game plan today was to not swing until she threw a strike.”
That strategy paid off for the Knights.
After a perfect first inning, Scarpa’s control problems began in the second when she walked the bases loaded. She escaped that frame unscathed and also stranded a runner in the third after another walk.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Knights (16-1, 12-0) tied the game without the benefit of a hit. McKenna Brailey was hit by a pitch before Lindsey Wise, Carissa Tekely and Grace Hensch all walked, forcing in the team’s first run.
Scarpa’s outing, which lasted into the fifth inning, included three strikeouts and 11 walks.
“She normally doesn’t have this much trouble throwing strikes,” Greensburg coach Bill Wright said. “She just was not hitting her spots today, and a team like Knoch is going to take advantage of that. They’re a very good team, and their record shows it.”
Two more walks in the fifth set the stage for Knoch to take the lead.
With runners on first and third and two out, Kaila Purcell’s groundball was mishandled, allowing Lizzie Danik to score. Wise followed with an RBI-single and Carissa Tekely a two-run triple as the Knights took a 5-1 lead into the sixth.
“I still thought the game was ours to win there in the fifth, tied 1-1, but the walks and that error really hurt us,” Wright said.
While Scarpa was searching for answers, Purcell frustrated Greensburg’s hitters in the second half of the contest. She allowed five hits over the first three innings, gave up a run on a single by Scarpa in the third, but then worked three perfect frames to close the game.
Purcell finished with six strikeouts and no walks.
“I do seem to get better the more innings I pitch,” said Purcell, who did not pitch in that first game against the Lions (9-5, 5-5). “I think a lot of it comes down to getting used to the batters for the other team, what pitches I should throw against them.”
Alena Tekely singled home a run in the bottom of the sixth, and McKenna Brailey drilled a two-run double, prompting Wright to replace Scarpa with Sammie Reusser. But the reliever gave up three runs, including a two-run single to Wise that ended the game via the mercy rule.
Knoch has three non-section games to play before the WPIAL playoffs begin.
“Everybody on the team knows what we’re capable of and we’re playing with so much confidence right now,” Purcell said.
Greensburg Salem 001 000 x — 1 5 1
Knoch 000 146 x — 11 7 0
W: Kaila Purcell 6 IP (6K, 0BB). L: Alle Scarpa 5+ IP (3K, 11BB).
Greensburg Salem (9-5, 5-5): Marley Perrone 1B R, Alle Scarpa 2-1B RBI
Knoch (16-1, 12-0): Alena Tekely 1B R RBI, Lizzie Danik 1B 2R, Kaila Purcell 1B RBI, Lindsey Wise 2-1B R 3RBI, Carissa Tekely 3B 2RBI, McKenna Brailey 2B 3R 2RBI
Thursday: Burrell at Knoch
