FOX CHAPEL — Knoch coach George Bradley was just trying to stop some momentum.

He succeeded — then watched the Knights build a momentous inning of their own.

Alex Stobert relieved starting pitcher Cole Shinsky in an unexpected pitching change in the top of the fifth inning with the go-ahead run at second base and two outs. Stobert recorded the final out, then ingnited a four-run rally in the bottom of the frame as Knoch defeated Belle Vernon, 5-1, Tuesday in a WPIAL Class AAA baseball playoff game at Fox Chapel.

Shinsky had thrown only 69 pitches — 44 for strikes — permitted four hits and struck out seven when Bradley took the ball from him with runners at first and second and two outs in the fifth.

“They were gaining momentum in that dugout. I could feel it,” Bradley said. “Cole had a lot left. He could have gone on, but they might have started timing up his fastball a little bit.

“That pitching change took a lot of energy and excitement out of their dugout. They seemed to quiet down.”

With two outs, Belle Vernon's Jake Callaway singled to center and Matt Benicky walked. It was the only walk allowed by Shinsky all day.

With the score even at 1, Bradley brought in Stobert. No. 9 batter Devin Judy grounded out to shortstop to end the threat. Only a .143 hitter, Judy had delivered a RBI single to plate the Leopards' lone tally in the third.

Dom Bucko singled and scored on Chris Law's infield single to tie the game in the bottom of the third.

Then came Knoch's fifth frame.

“We had to time their pitcher up, see what he had,” Stobert said. “The third time through the lineup, we got to him.”

Stobert reached on a bad-hop infield single to open the inning. Addis Crouch doubled to left to plate him. Following a Logan Hickey sacrifice bunt, Crouch scored on Bucko's ground-out to first base. Consecutive two-out singles by Law, Shinsky, Jordan Kowalski and Asa Adams added two more runs.

Belle Vernon pitcher Nolan Stulock was lifted during that fifth-inning uprising after throwing 81 pitches.

“I think he just got tired,” Leopards coach Daryl Hixenbaugh said. “Nolan had thrown 102 and 104 pitches his previous two outings. Sometimes you get that dead arm thing.”

Belle Vernon loaded the bases after two were out in the sixth against Stobert, but he got Ben Cole to ground into a force play to escape any damage. Stobert allowed a leadoff hit in the seventh, but calmly retired the final three hitters.

“I was a little surprised I took the mound when I did because Cole was doing pretty good,” Stobert said. “But the coach did tell me I might be called upon at some point today.”

Bradley does not believe in juggling pitchers or saving an arm for the next game — even though the Knights are seeded No. 2 in the WPIAL AAA bracket and the Leopards were No. 15.

“I don't care if we're playing the 100th ranked team,” Bradley said. “I worry about today's game. You have to win today to play tomorrow.”

Belle Vernon had seven sophomores in its starting lineup and missed a big scoring chance in the fourth. With a runner at first and one out, Jordan Zilka hammered a deep fly ball that appeared headed for the left-center field gap.

A stiff wind was blowing in all day, however, and the breeze held the ball up for center fielder Bucko to make the catch. Bucko then fired to first to double off the runner and end the inning.

“That was a big play in this game,” Hixenbaugh said. “Without that wind, we have the lead there and we're in position to score more.

“Still, we hung in against a very good team. And with us being so young, I'm proud of these guys.”

Belle Vernon 001 000 0 — 1 7 1

Knoch 001 040 x — 5 10 1

W: Alex Stobert 2.1IP (1K, 0BB). L: Nolan Stulock 4.2IP (3K, 1BB).

Belle Vernon (10-9): Mike Fine 1B, Evan Hannam 2-1B, Jake Gallaway 3-1B, Devin Judy 1B RBI

Knoch (16-2): Dom Bucko 1B RBI, Chris Law 2-1B, Cole Shinsky 1B, Jordan Kowalski 2-1B RBI, Asa Adams 1B RBI, Alex Stobert 1B, Addis Crouch 2B RBI, Logan Hickey 1B

Monday: Knoch vs. Blackhawk, WPIAL AAA quarterfinals, site and time TBA