Knight pitches gem against Pennsylvania squad
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TAMPA, Fla. — Right-hander Blaine Knight needed just 78 pitches to toss a two-hit shutout over seven innings as the Bryant Hornet extracted a 2-0 win over the Plum, Pa., Mustangs from the Pittsburgh area on Thursday.
Knight struck out seven without a walk. He gave up a lead-off double in the second but, moments later, picked the runner off second base to end the threat. The other hit was a two-out single in the top of the fourth.
The lone base-runner after that came on a hit batsman to open the sixth inning. With two out, he would pick him off as well.
The only run that Knight wound up requiring came in the bottom of the second. Catcher Trey Breeding walked and courtesy runner Connor Tatum stepped in. Jason Hastings sacrificed him to second.
Tatum swiped third but an errant throw allowed him to score the second tally.
It was 1-0 after that until, in the bottom of the sixth, Tatum scored again. This time, Drew Tipton led off the inning with a walk. He stole his way to second then third. He held as Chase Tucker beat out an infield hit.
Tucker was forced at second on Trey Breeding’s groundball. Tatum was deployed as the courtesy runner and, after Hastings drew a free pass to fill the sacks, Dalton Holt hit a bouncer to third. A throw to the plate retired Tipton. But a passed ball moments later brought in Tatum with the final tally of the contest.
Knight overpowered the Mustangs in the top of the seventh to close out the shutout win.
