JEFFERSON TWP — When Cole Shinsky's pitches meandered from the strike zone last season, he would try different things with his mechanics.

When the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Knoch junior pitcher started seeing a pitching coach this fall, he received simple advice for being more efficient.

Shinsky needed to be more consistent with his delivery.

“Duplicating your mechanics and keep going over and over and over,” Shinsky said about what he worked on. “Last year, every single pitch I would switch it up. Duplicating really helped.”

Shinsky, who is drawing Division I interest, has given the Knights a solid option at the top of the rotation.

Shinsky's continued development helped him anchor a deep Knights' pitching staff that helped Knoch win its first section title since 2000.

Fellow juniors Alex Stobert and Jeremy Frazier and Alex Stobert also have two wins.

Second-seeded Knoch (15-2) will open the WPIAL Clas AAA playoffs against Belle Vernon at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel.

Shinsky is 5-0 with a save and had a season-high 11 strikeouts in the team's season-opening win over Indiana.

He also has a 1.50 ERA in 32 2/3 innings pitched.

Senior catcher Asa Adams has seen maturity in Shinsky's approach.

“He's out there looking to throw strikes and looking to put the ball where he's supposed to. He's not just throwing it hard,” Adams said. “Last year, he had good stuff, but he was just trying to throw it hard and put it across the plate. Now, he's picking his spots.”

Having Adams behind the plate is a relationship that Shinsky values.

“He's a wall back there for how small he is,” Shinsky joked about Adams, who was listed at 5-10 on Knoch's football roster. “It's awesome to catch with him, we have great chemistry and I'm going to miss him (next season).”

Shinsky is able to use three pitches to keep people off-balance.

He throws a four-seam fastball, circle change and curveball.

He's also trying to develop a two-seam fastball.

“I've developed as a pitcher,” Shinsky said. “I wasn't just going out and throwing hard this year. Last year, I was just doing what I could do.”

Knoch coach George Bradley feels increased health has helped Shinsky. An arm injury plagued him at times last year.

“This year his arm injury is better,” Bradley said. “He's throwing strikes with all three pitches and he keeps them off-balance.”

When the Knights went to a camp in Washington, Pa., before the season, Adams and Shinsky were able to strengthen their relationship.

“We started figuring things out and talking,” Adams said. “If he starts pitching the ball, you're going to be something else and go to the next level if you do that. He's definitely doing that.”

Shinsky's hoping repetition will carry Knoch deep into the WPIAL playoffs.

The Knights had a 12-game win streak snapped by Pine-Richland Thursday.

It's no reason to mess with the mechanics.

“Keep playing the way we are,” Shinsky said. “We're going to have fun no matter what. We're going to do what we do and see how far we can take it.”