WEST MIFFLIN — Knoch pitcher Alex Stobert shook off his excitement and took the mound ready to take care of business less than 24 hours after the biggest win in school history.

The second-seeded Knights only needed one more win to make their first-ever appearance in the WPIAL Class AAA title game.

Stobert allowed two hits in seven innings to help the Knights beat Montour 2-0 Wednesday afternoon in a semifinal at West Mifflin High School.

The second-seeded Knights will play fifth-seeded West Allegheny in the finals at a time and date to be determined next week at Consol Energy Park.

Stobert, who struck out two batters, wanted the Knights to match their expectations.

“Whenever you come in as the No. 2 seed, you're the bad dog and big guy,” Stobert said. “You have to live up to what you're supposed to do and so far we've been doing it.”

That sentiment carried to the coaching staff.

Knoch coach George Bradley's cell phone buzzed with information long past his normal bedtime after Knoch's quarterfinal win Tuesday night.

Bradley was pleased he could cobble together a scouting report.

“I told them, celebrate on the bus. That's what I did,” Bradley said about the aftermath of their quarterfinal win Tuesday. “I was up until midnight or 12:30 a.m. talking to other coaches. The last coach I talked to was a little after midnight.”

The 14th-seeded Spartans (12-10) never found a way to solve Stobert or the Knights' defense.

He allowed two hits — both singles to Frank Guerra — and walked one batter.

“It's been a roller coaster all year in that department,” said Montour coach Glenn Vietmeier about the Spartans' hitting. “The pitcher kept us right where he wanted us and took charge.”

Knoch's offense broke through against Spartans' starting pitcher Brian Dabney in the second inning.

Jordan Kowalski opened with a single and scored when Asa Adams followed with a double to right-center field.

“We got up early and let our defense and pitching relax,” said Adams, who also singled in the sixth inning. “We wanted to get a few more runs later in the game, but unfortunately it didn't happen.”

Two batters later, Addis Crouch hit a single that dropped in front of Montour right fielder Adam Check that scored Adams.

“Coach has been talking us up good, we were really prepared,” Crouch said. “I was going up there feeling confident and was able to put it in play.”

After that, neither team had many runners reach base.

Montour only had two base runners, Guerra reached with a two-out single in the third and Luc Nolder drew a walk to lead off the sixth innings.

Nolder was erased on a pick-off throw from Stobert to Cole Shinsky.

The Knights had two baserunners in the third inning after Chris Law singled and drew a walk.

Dabney worked out of it by getting the next two batters to ground out.

But Stobert and the Knoch defense didn't need any more help.

They were locked in, helping the Knights make history.

Adams hopes to keep taking care of business.

“A lot of guys didn't have us picked to go this far at the beginning of the season,” Adams said. “I'd rather prove someone wrong than prove someone right. We set expectations high for ourselves. It's nice to prove to other people around we can meet them.”

Montour 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

Knoch 020 000 x — 2 5 0

W: Alex Stobert 7IP (2K, 1BB). L: Brian Dabney 6IP (4K, 2BB).

Knoch (18-2): Jordan Kowalski 1B, Asa Adams 1B 2B RBI, Addis Crouch 1B RBI, Chris Law 1B.

Montour (12-10): Frank Guerra 2-1B

Tuesday or Wednesday: Knoch vs. West Allegheny at Consol Energy Park