Bobcats blank Tornadoes behind Knapp's 3-hitter to reach district finals

LOGAN — The Green Bobcats remained hot. And why not? They had a fireballer lighting the fuse.

Jon Knapp pitched a 3-hitter as he racked up 11 strikeouts against 3 walks and Green blanked the Southern Tornadoes 8-0 in the Division 7 district semifinals.

The strikeout total enabled the Rio Grande recruit to surpass 400 for his career.

Green (21-4) will play Glouster Trimble (19-7) at 2 p.m. Thursday in the district title game.

“That was a good team win. Jon pitched another great game and we got key hits, took advantage of our scoring opportunities, and played pretty good defense for the most part.

“We’re taking this one game at a time. We got the win today and now we can start to focus on Thursday.”

Green took charge in the first inning with a 4-run rally.

Riddick Jenkins led off the inning with a double and scored an out later on a hit by Gabe Blevins.

After Blevins stole second, Knapp reached on an error. Noah McMackin was safe on a two-base error as Blevins scored. Uriah Satterfield singled home Knapp and Kase McIntyre was safe on an error as the final run scored.

The Bobcats added single runs in the second and third innings to lead 6-0.

In the second, Jenkins walked, Mason Neal singled and Blevins grounded out as the run scored.

Conner Blanton had a two-out double in the third and came home on a hit by Jenkins.

Green added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth inning to cap the scoring.

McIntyre was hit by a pitch, Brennan Renison walked and Blanton belted a two-run double into the right field corner.

The Tornadoes only real threat came at the start of the game.

Greyson Duval singled, stole second, and went to third on a passed ball. Jeremy Harmon drew a walk but Knapp retired the next two batters on easy ground outs to second base.

Blanton was 2-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI and Jenkins was 2-3 with a double and an RBI to lead the 8-hit attack. Blevins was 1-3 with 2 RBI, Satterfield 1-4 with an RBI, Neal and McMackin each 1-4, and McIntyre had an RBI.

Southern (11-13) was held to three singles as Duval went 1-4, Cooper DIddle 1-3 and Harmon 1-2.

Southern 000 000 0 = 0 3 3

Green 411 020 x = 8 8 3

Jake Wickline, Jeremy Harmon (4) and Hunter Jarrell. Jon Knapp and Noah McMackin. W-Knapp (IP-7.0, H-3, R-0, ER-0, K-11, BB-3). L-Wickline (IP-3.0, H-6, R-6, ER-3, K-1, BB-1). Harmon (IP-3.0, H-2, R-2, ER-2, K-3, BB-2). Hitting–Southern: Greyson Duval 1-4, Jeremy Harmon 1-2, Cooper Diddle 1-3; Green: Riddick Jenkins 2-3 2B RBI, Mason Neal 1-4, Gabe Blevins 1-3 2-RBI, Noah McMackin 1-4, Uriah Satterfield 1-4 RBI, Kase McIntyre RBI, Conner Blanton 2-3 2-2B 2-RBI.