Andrew Wirtz had to pause to think about it.

Robert Zanella practically laughed.

Both ultimately, however, had the same answer.

"I don't know."

For the Knoch Knights baseball team, the ignorance in not being able to isolate why they're hitting so much better this season than in recent years doesn't compare to the bliss of being one of WPIAL Class AAA's hottest teams and holding a Post-Gazette ranking for the first time in years.

The biggest reason why? A team batting average of .340 that is impressive in its own right. When juxtaposed against last season's team average that hovered near .200, it is remarkable.

While neither Knoch player could immediately pinpoint the impetus for the turnaround, each eventually offered his best theory.

"I think we had the ability to hit before, it's just that this year we have a little more confidence," said Zanella, a senior outfielder/first baseman. "Now, we go in expecting to get a hit; not so much being worried about it."

"I think we've kind of learned to rely on each other and trust each other when each other is at bat," said Wirtz, a senior second baseman. "We know the next person is going to get a hit. We don't worry and wonder who will get that hit, like last year, and we've built off that."

Eleventh-year coach Curt Schnur had the most reasonable explanation of all: "We're just more experienced. Coming into the year, we had eight senior starters returning, so that has contributed to the confidence factor. And these guys worked on their hitting in the offseason."

The Knights (8-5, 5-2 Section 1-AAA heading into Wednesday's scheduled game against Ambridge) had moved to No. 3 in the Post-Gazette's Class AAA rankings last week.

This comes on the heels of a 7-12 campaign last season and four consecutive non-playoff seasons in all. As freshmen, Knoch's stellar senior class (eight major contributors to this season's team) went 3-14 and followed that with a pedestrian 16-20 the ensuing two seasons. That makes this senior season all the more special.

"Most of us have played together wince we were 6 or 7 years old, and it just feels like this is our last hurrah," Wirtz said. "When you've been playing with guys for so long and now we have a chance to make the playoffs and go pretty far, it's exciting and a neat opportunity."

The only senior who is somewhat deprived of that opportunity is Sam Stone. A first baseman and the team's No. 3 starting pitcher and leading hitter last season, Stone sustained a torn ACL injury during the second game of the season and is out for the year.

But instead of dwelling on what the loss of a key player would do for the team's chances, Knoch has used the injury to Stone as a rallying cry.

"Sam was a huge part of our team offensively and defensively," Zanella said. "We feel terrible about Sam; we've been playing with him since we were 6 or 7 years old. We feel like we've got to do it for Sam."

Stone was 3 for 6 in those first two games. While none of the Knights have sustained a similar .500 average throughout the season, three are hitting better than .400 -- Cullen Hinderliter, Nathan Junk and Zanella.

Hinderliter had a team-best .450 average entering the week with a .522 on-base percentage that was tied with Zanella for the team lead. Those two bat fourth and fifth in the order, respectively.

Junk, a junior center fielder, follows them in the lineup and is batting .424. Left fielder Dale Gallo, the No. 3 hitter, has a .381 average with team-highs in runs (13) and RBIs (14).

Hinderliter and Wirtz are four-year starters and the others mentioned are in their third year of starting.

Other seniors in the everyday lineup are catcher John DeWalt, third baseman Zane Voltz and outfielder Marcus Cashell. Shortstop Mac Megahan is the lone sophomore regular. He leads the team with three home runs.

Hinderliter and Junk are the arms the Knights rely upon most. Hinderliter is 3-0 and has allowed only three earned runs in 302/3 innings (0.68 ERA) with 39 strikeouts, and Junk is 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 252/3 innings.

Knoch isn't shying away from establishing high expectations for itself.

"We want to win Section 1, and we want to win a WPIAL championship," Zanella said.

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