WPIAL baseball: Knoch’s Hunter Lang slams door on Blackhawk in playoff opener
Knoch baseball coach John Negley described Hunter Lang as “a quiet kid. He doesn’t have much to say.”
True to that reputation, Lang let his pitching do the talking Monday. It was heard loud and clear at Pullman Park.
Normally Knoch’s No. 2 starter, Lang relieved ace Zane Pacek with two out in the top of the fifth inning. Blackhawk had already scored the game’s first run and was on the verge of more with runners at second and third.
Lang struck out Finn Conlon to end the threat, then held the Cougars scoreless over the final two innings in Knoch’s 2-1 win in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs.
The No. 8 Knights (13-8) will face top seed Indiana (15-4) in a quarterfinal Monday at a site and time to be determined.
Lang struck out four and did not walk a batter while earning the victory with 2.1 innings of work. He allowed a single to Carter Davis in the sixth and another to Tyler Syka in the seventh, but they got no further than first base.
“I relied mostly on my four-seam (fastball),” Lang said. “I just wanted to get that first out. It helps put me in a groove.”
Shortly after Lang got out of the jam he walked into, the Knights managed all the offense they needed.
Against Blackhawk starter Elijah White, Kaden Dreher drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth. Carter Beres’ RBI-double tied the game, leading to White being pulled in favor of Aidan Gill, who struggled in relief. He hit Brady Linamen with a pitch and walked Cooper Allison to load the bases.
With two out, a wild pitch allowed courtesy runner David Breese to score what turned out to be the winning run.
Pacek blanked the Cougars (11-8) through four innings. He made a fine play in the top of the third, coming off the mound to field a ground ball near the first-base line to help keep the game scoreless.
In the fifth, a walk and back-to-back singles, the second from leadoff hitter Logan Elich, gave Blackhawk its brief 1-0 lead.
Indiana is the defending district and state champion. The Indians and Knights are WPIAL Section 3 foes.
“I’m excited for it,” Lang said. “We split with them during the season (losing 2-1 and winning 1-0).”
Said Negley: “It’s a privilege to be playing in the playoffs, go out and enjoy it. That’s how we’re attacking it.”
Blackhawk 000 010 0 — 1 5 0
Knoch 000 020 x — 2 4 0
W: Hunter Lang 2.1 IP (4K, 0BB). L: Elijah White 4.1 IP (3K, 3BB).
Blackhawk: Logan Elich 1B RBI, Finn Conlon 2B
Knoch: Mason Heller 1B, Kaden Dreher 1B R, Carter Beres 1B 2B RBI
Monday: Knoch vs. Indiana, WPIAL Class 4A Quarterfinal, time and site TBD
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Knoch baseball’s Ryan McCurdy, center, celebrates with teammates after beating Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kyle Morgan, left, and Cooper Allison, right, celebrate after beating Blackhawk in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Carter Beres runs to first after recording a hit against Blackhawk in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch defeated Blackhawk 2-1 in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Kyle Morgan hits the ball against Blackhawk in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch pitcher Hunter Lang fires a pitch to Blackhawk in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Knoch's Carter Beres celebrates after a double against Blackhawk in a WPIAL Class 4A first round baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, at Pullman Park. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
