Stallsmith’s 6-RBI game helps Knoch beat Burrell in Section 1-4A

By: Michael Love
Friday, April 15, 2022 | 8:05 PM

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Burrell took Game 1, but the Knoch baseball team returned the favor in a big way Friday afternoon in a Section 1-4A rematch at sun-splashed No Offseason in Russellton.

Jacob Stallsmith doubled, singled and drove in six runs as the Knights collected 12 hits in a 15-5 victory over the Bucs to avenge Tuesday’s 5-4 loss at Butler’s Pullman Park.

“Today, we came out fighting. We just couldn’t get swept. This was huge for us,” said Stallsmith, whose big day helped Knoch improve to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the section behind 4-0 North Catholic and 3-1 Indiana.

The Knights turn their attention to a home-and-home series Tuesday and Wednesday against Freeport (3-5, 1-3).

“We were able to jump on them early,” Stallsmith said. “We came out with a new lineup, and it really worked for us. It was a huge confidence boost.”

Stallsmith said he might have had six RBIs in Little League, but he couldn’t be certain of that. But he sure will remember his offensive output in Friday’s victory.

Knoch had just four hits Tuesday against Burrell. On Friday, the Knights had three hits in the first inning.

Winning pitcher Jacob Wagner and Eli Sutton connected on back-to-back one-out singles, and Stallsmith followed with a two-out double to stake the Knights to a 2-0 lead.

A Wagner two-run double, a two-run single from Stallsmith and an RBI ground out from Sutton added five runs in the top of the second for a 7-0 lead, and that turned out to be more than the Knights would need.

Knoch scored two in the third, one in the fourth and finished off the victory with five in the top of the seventh. Logan Cypher tallied the big hit in the seventh with a two-run double.

Sutton finished with two RBIs as he also knocked in a run with a single in the seventh.

“This was a really nice win for the guys to come back after Tuesday,” Knoch coach Bill Stoops said. “We had really good practices on Wednesday and (Thursday). The guys were anxious to get this game going.”

Burrell, which had snapped a three-game losing streak with Tuesday’s win, fell back into a three-way tie for fourth in the section with Freeport and Highlands at 1-3.

The Bucs and Highlands will play in a home-and-home series starting Tuesday.

Phil Walsh, who started for Burrell and went three innings, doubled twice in three at-bats and drove in a run. His RBI was part of a three-run third inning for the Bucs, who got a RBI double from Tristan Kenzovich and a Joe Druga sacrifice fly to left.

The Bucs had a chance to add on in the inning, but they left the bases loaded.

Burrell had runners on first and third with one out in the second but failed to score. It also left the bases loaded in the sixth.

The Bucs scored twice in the bottom of the seventh as Mike Bowser walked with the bases loaded, and Dillon McKillop plated a run with a fielder’s choice grounder to second.

“Knoch came out ready to play after losing the other day and jumped all over us,” Burrell coach Mark Spohn said. “That was the story of the game. After those three innings, it was pretty close, but you can’t just pull out the eraser and make them disappear. As the game was going on, it didn’t really feel like it was a 10-3 game.

“Now, it’s about preparing to get back at it next week. There is a couple of us at 1-3 in the section, so these games are huge. I think the separation will begin.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Knoch