Knoch softball team hoping for a deep playoff run like 2019 squad

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | 7:29 PM

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Olivia Vissari, Marissa Melius, Brynnae Coe, Quinn Hughes, Sophie Brandon and Bailey Rickenbrode remember the 2019 postseason well. They were members of the Knoch softball team that advanced to the WPIAL semifinals and qualified for the state playoffs.

They were major contributors for the team that won a section title with a 10-0 record and finished 18-3 overall. They hope this year’s version of the Knights (8-7 overall, 6-3 in Section 1-4A) has a similar run in them.

“I think we have set ourselves up really well for the playoffs,” said Rickenbrode, a pitcher/third baseman and one of four seniors, along with Vissari (shortstop), Melius (right field) and Hughes (catcher).

“Having that experience from two years ago has really helped. But just going through this season, with challenging games in section and with nonsection games, has also prepared us. It’s really brought us closer together. We’re excited. Anything can happen in the playoffs.”

Highlands (13-4, 7-3) leads the Bucs (7-5, 6-3) and Knoch (6-3) by one-half game in the standings. Burrell and Knoch will play a make-up game Thursday. Games played after Wednesday will count toward the final section standings, but they won’t affect a team’s resume when WPIAL playoff pairings are decided Thursday afternoon.

“The first game (against Burrell) was so close,” Melius said. “It could’ve gone either way. I expect this game (Thursday) to also be close.”

In that first game with the Bucs, a sacrifice fly by Lilly Hawk in the bottom of the seventh completed a come-from-behind victory. Hawk also doubled and finished with two RBIs.

Hawk played in 11 games for Knoch as a freshman in 2019 and recorded a double and two RBIs among four hits in 16 at-bats.

“It’s been a playoff atmosphere in almost every game this season,” Knoch coach Gary Coe said.

The Knights were swept by Highlands, with the first game this season going down to the wire before the Golden Rams won 13-9. Knoch also split with Greensburg Salem, winning 5-4 before losing 7-4.

“We’ve had to fight very hard each game,” Rickenbrode said.

Vissari, Rickenbrode, Hughes and Melius were celebrated before Tuesday’s section game against McKeesport.

“It was pretty emotional,” said Hughes, who played on the field at Laura Doerr Park since her U8 days. “It was our last game on this field. We’ve made many great memories right here.”

The Knights came away with a 5-3 win to keep their section-title hopes alive. Knoch led 5-0 before McKeesport (1-11, 0-9) attempted a rally in the latter half of the contest.

“We’ve been in so many dogfights this year,” Hughes said.

The Knights finished with 10 hits. Coe was 3 for 3 with a double, a triple and an RBI, Vassari and Melius had two hits each, and Lindsay Edwards doubled and drove in two runs.

Coe struck out seven and surrendered five hits and two walks in the complete-game victory.

“This section has been wild all year, and that is something we expected,” Vissari said. “There have been so many upsets, you just never know. It’s been super unpredictable.”

Knoch enters Thursday’s rematch with Burrell averaging 7.3 runs a game. The Knights put up 20 in a key 20-9 section victory over Freeport on May 5. Vissari had a career day with three home runs, including a grand slam, and seven RBIs.

“It was crazy,” Vissari said. “It was probably the best game of my life.”

Madi Gardner’s also had a grand slam and RBIs in that game.

“I don’t think we have a weak spot in our lineup,” Vissari said. “Everybody has been clutch at different times.”

Gardner, Edwards and Taylor Davis are new to the Knoch lineup. Davis was 3 for 3 in the big game against Freeport, and Edwards was 2 for 5.

Gary Coe said the pitching combination of Coe and Rickenbrode has improved throughout the season as new starters after the loss to graduation of 2019 Valley News Dispatch Player of the year Amanda Fischer.

“Bailey threw quite a bit early on as as Brynnae had a fracture in her finger,” Gary Coe said. “Brynnae is starting to throw more now. They really support each other. They complement each other well.”

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: Knoch