Scott Doherty always likes to have at least two pitchers on his roster and tries to give them each significant playing time, just in case "something happens."

"Something" did happen this year and the Knoch High School softball team was prepared.

Senior Chelsea Martin, the team's ace this year who was expected to help carry the team through the year, went down with a broken wrist after a line drive hit her after she delivered a pitch earlier this season. Before the injury, junior Amanda Sheppeck, who has been fuilling the role of backup pitcher, came in to pitch some innings. That early-season experience proved to be critical when it was up to Sheppeck to take over.

"I have been using Amanda off and on most of the year," Doherty said. "My philosophy is you don't go through one season with just one pitcher. Thank God I did because with Chelsea going down, Amanda had some confidence coming in."

Martin was injured in a close game against No. 1 Ellwood City on April 19. She was hit by a line drive in the sixth inning and Knoch ended up losing in the eighth inning, 3-2.

Sheppeck has made sure the Knights did not skip a beat with the Knights going 5-0 since she took over.

"When we lost Chelsea, we stuck together as a team," Sheppeck said.

"Pitching earlier in the year helped a lot ... just being in game situations. It definitely boosted my confidence. Pitching all the time is not too bad. I used to be very sore after pitching just one game but I am getting used to it now."

The Knoch girls took a 13-3 overall record and a 12-1 mark in Section 5-AAA heading into their game this past Thursday against Indiana. The Post-Gazette ranks Knoch No. 4 in Class AAA in its latest rankings. The Knights have clinched the section title.

"Since Chelsea went down, everybody knew they had to play a little bit better," Doherty said. "We lost one of the best pitchers in Western Pennsylvania and the girls knew they had to pick up the pace. They needed to make fewer mistakes and they have."

This year's Knoch team is a veteran group that features five players who have lettered since their freshman years. Shortstop Kirsten Brant, center fielder Zoe Hughes, first basemen Jade Thrower, second basemen Michelle Steinmiller and right fielder Ashlee Antosyzk played together as freshmen four years ago on a team that went 1-14.

Since then they have been part of an improving Knoch program that posted win totals of 10 and 15 the next two seasons.

Another senior, Crystal Rafalko, joined the team this year after transferring from Highlands.

Junior Justine Rich has been a sparkplug for Knoch offensively and defensively. Her ability to play multiple positions has helped the team. Three sophomores have also been contributing, including Taylor Smith in left field.

With Sheppeck moved to pitcher, sophomore Melinda Bierhals is starting at third base and Brittany McDermott, another sophomore, has been filling in where needed.

Four Knights, Brant, Hughes and Thrower had hit four home runs each through 15 games. Hughes was originally batting leadoff but Doherty moved her down in the lineup and her bat started to pickup.

Brant and Sheppeck are the top hitters on the team, both batting better than .500. Losing Martin not only took her pitching away but it also took a hot bat out of the lineup. She was batting .465 before the injury.

"Coming into the season, I had no questions about this team, none whatsoever" Doherty said. "I knew we had a good chance to win the section title and a good chance to play for the WPIAL title."

Last season, their run at a WPIAL title came to an end in the quarterfinals against Elizabeth Forward. They were without Martin for that game, too. She was out with a case of mononucleosis and they were defeated, 13-2

"The girls fell apart from the added pressure of that game," Doherty said. "We had never been there before and after we had our first playoff win, it was like the girls reached a certain level and they were comfortable with that.

"This year our batting has carried us. I pride ourselves on being a good hitting team. All the way up and down the lineup we have girls who can hit the ball and we need to catch fire and keep the hitting going."