The Knoch softball program owns eight section championships, the first coming in 2007.
More recently, within the past decade, the Knights have five, claiming section gold every other year from 2017 to last year’s perfect 12-0 record in Section 1-5A.
Knoch coach Chris Gardner said the goal coming into this season was to repeat, breaking that pattern and going back to back.
With a group of five seniors and other underclassmen returning from the group that felt the glory of a section title just last year, Gardner has witnessed the seasoned core produce some key victories that have put it on the cusp of a repeat.
“They knew with the way last year ended, they were really hungry coming back,” said Gardner, whose team had the 2025 section title in its possession before losing three straight, including a WPIAL first-round setback against Beaver Area, to close the season.
“They knew they had a good team coming in (this year), but they didn’t just assume that everything would fall into place. They worked very hard and made sure that nothing was taken for granted. With the experience, they knew what to expect and what the goals were to make it further than what we did last year.”
With two section games remaining — Wednesday at Greensburg Salem and Monday at Highlands — the Knights sit at 9-1 in Section 1, one-half game ahead of Indiana (8-1) with Derry (6-3) and Greensburg Salem (5-3) in the playoff hunt.
Indiana has Highlands on Wednesday, Derry on Friday and Greensburg Salem on Monday.
Knoch will go for the season sweep against Greensburg Salem and the hitting and pitching of senior Seton Hill commit Allie Scarpa. The Knights defeated the Golden Lions, 8-2, on April 6.
“(Senior) Alena (Tekely) looked at the (section title) banner and saw it was every other year (since 2017), and she said, ‘Enough with that!’ That Indiana game Friday was big,” Gardner said.
One of Knoch’s two losses this season — the Knights fell to Class 5A Plum in a March nonsection contest — came at the hands of Indiana, 6-0, on March 31. The Knights got a measure of revenge against the Indians, 4-2, on Friday in a must-win game to keep their section-title hopes alive.
“That first Indiana game really helped the girls take a step back and refocus and ask themselves, ‘What are we doing here?’ ” Gardner said.
“Now the bats are really going, and it is contagious. There’s a lot of confidence in the lineup.”
The Knights collected four hits in last Friday’s matchup with Indiana, but three of them produced runs.
Junior Kaila Purcell got Knoch on the board with a double in the fourth.
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, the Knights went ahead with a pair of bombs.
Sophomore Emersyn Jones hit a solo shot to left that tied the score 2-2.
“Somebody from Indiana said Emersyn’s home run was something like 265 feet,” Gardner said.
Tekely followed with a walk and then rounded the bases on a two-run homer from senior Marlee Fraser.
“One thing we’re good at is not getting down on ourselves,” Fraser said. “We did a good job of keeping our energy up that game. Going in, we had a really good feeling. It was just a great challenge that we were able to overcome.”
Purcell helped with her bat and with her arm as she threw a two-hitter with one earned run allowed. She struck out one and walked none.
Indiana had six outs left after Knoch took the lead, but Purcell and the Knights defense retired Indiana in order in both the sixth and seventh with a ground out and five flyouts.
“There were some nerves going into the game, but we knew we had to be our strongest selves,” Purcell said. “I personally thrived on the pressure, so I was ready. Their one girl that hit a home run (in the second), we realized that we needed to change up our pitching approach. I had to work high, and once that happened, they weren’t able to touch me. I felt more confident, especially with my defense behind me. They are amazing. There is that confidence no matter who is pitching. It’s such a great feeling.”
Purcell, who is 4-0 with 19 2/3 innings, and Jones (22 2/3 innings) and Fraser (23 2/3 innings) have combined to form a formidable 1-2-3 punch in the pitching circle.
“The one thing when you play for me, you are not chasing stats,” Gardner said. “They know they aren’t going to go out there and throw every game. It is a great feeling to have three very capable pitchers, and we just try to get the best matchups.”
Knoch’s seniors — Fraser, Tekely, Lizzie Danik, Lindse Wise, and Kaylee Bachman — were celebrated before Monday’s 15-0 home win over Highlands.
The day was especially emotional for Bachman, who is not able to play this spring after suffering a severe knee injury during a school skiing trip. Gardner expected her to be a strong contributor in her final varsity season.
She put on her uniform Monday, and Gardner started her at third. She exited the game after one pitch.
“Kaylee’s been awesome with coming to all of the practices she can and supporting her teammates,” Gardner said.
“She was going to get her innings. We had to move things around, but it ended up working out. The girls really rallied around her. She was in tears out on the field. Even when I told her she was starting, she teared up. It meant that much to her.”