Knapton stars as Roaring Lions go 2-2 vs. Beaver
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Penn State Fayette earned its first PSUAC victories of the season over the weekend with Jimmy Knapton playing a key role.
The Roaring Lions split two games at Beaver on Saturday, suffering a walk-off 5-4 loss before rebounding with a 6-1 win. They also split a pair at home on Sunday, falling 11-1 and then closing the four-game set with a 9-3 victory.
Knapton played right field in three of those games, serving as a DH in the final contest, and went a combined 7 for 12 (.583) with a home run and six RBIs.
“Jimmy is a genuine team guy and it is so rewarding for a coach to see someone play well like he did this weekend,” Fayette head coach Ryan Encapera said. “Jimmy is a guy who has bought in to our program and has committed to the process and worked so hard to succeed.”
Knapton was 2 for 3 with three RBIs in the first game, 2 for 4 with an RBI in the second game, 1 for 2 with a walk in the third game and 2 for 3 with a solo home run, a sacrifice fly for two RBIs in the finale.
“He had a weekend that we will all never forget,” Encapera said. “Not only was he on fire at the plate, but he made several great defensive plays at Beaver on the (outfield) hill that kept us in game one and won game two for us.
“Every time we needed him to come through at the plate for RBIs or spark a rally, he did it.”
Losing pitcher Connor Perry also had two hits in Saturday’s opener. Starting pitcher Remington Lessman allowed four runs on 11 hits with three walks and five strikeout in six innings.
Fayette trailed 1-0 before scoring three runs in the third on a two-run single by Knapton following an RBI single by Ashton Ray.
Beaver tied it with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Both teams scored a run in the sixth to make it 4-4.
Beaver scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch.
Ray was masterful in Saturday’s second game, twirling a four hitter in going the distance. He gave up one run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Fayette got a two-run single by Perry and run-scoring hits from AJ Segarra, Knapton and Lucas Vilchez. Hunter Smiley and Vilchez had two hits apiece and Manny Stitch also had an RBI.
Brandon Bieler took the loss in Sunday’s opener. He surrendered two earned runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts in five innings.
Smiley doubled and scored the Roaring Lions’ lone run on a sacrifice fly by Perry.
Brogan Meighen gave Fayette another complete-game performance in Sunday’s second game, allowing two earned runs on eight hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
The Roaring Lions trailed 3-2 when Knapton tied it with his home run in the bottom of the third.
Knapton hit a lead-off single in the fifth to spark a three-run rally that included an RBI single by Frank Macioce and a run-scoring grounder by Tyler Marra. Pinch runner Alex Weber stole third and came home on a throwing error to cap the rally.
Fayette added three more runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk by Weber, an RBI single by Ray and a run-scoring grounder by Vilchez.
Knapton, Perry, Vilchez and Joshua Gonzalez each had two hits.
The Roaring Lions are scheduled to host Point Park’s JV team Tuesday in a 6 p.m. game at Hutchinson Field.
Fayette jumps back into PSUAC play this weekend with two games at Penn State Shenango on Saturday (12 and 2 p.m.) and two at home against Shenango on Sunday (1 and 3 p.m.).