Sometimes, one inning of offense is all that it takes.

Thanks to stellar pitching and defense, that was the story of the Mars baseball team’s third victory of the season.

The Planets sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the fourth inning and scored all of their runs in the frame in a 4-1 win over Knoch at Pullman Park.

The deciding inning began with a pair of Knoch fielding errors, which resulted in runners at second and third. Sam Schultz’s RBI-groundout tied the game at 1-all and Owen Smith’s single drove in Zack Orosz with a second run.

Jake Johnson singled in another run and he later scored when he stole second base and the throw in an attempt to get him bounced into center field and past Mason Phillips. It was the final of four Knoch errors in the inning.

“We’re very young and are also dealing with some injuries right now,” said Knoch coach Bill Stoops. “We’re trying to piece things together.”

“We had strong at-bats at the top of the order today from Jake Johnson, 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, and Zack Orosz had a couple of hits (doubles),” said Mars coach Jason Thompson. “And we were able to capitalize on Knoch’s mistakes.”

Johnson earned all-section honors as a sophomore last year while in the No. 2 spot in Mars’ batting order, but Thompson sees him as the perfect leadoff hitter.

“It’s very rare that he goes down looking,” the coach said. “When he gets two strikes on him, he’s turns to another gear.”

Johnson is relishing his role of setting the table for the Planets.

“I like the top spot in the order,” the second baseman said. “I like getting the guys riled up and getting things going.”

The recipient of Mars’ big inning was starting pitcher Jackson Fox. He worked the first five innings, allowed one run on six hits. Four of his five strikeouts came with the batter watching the third strike.

“He was super-efficient today,” said Thompson. “He threw 78 pitches and 54 of them were strikes.”

Kyle Haddad pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn a save. Both Mars pitchers were aided by fine defensive plays. Knoch’s Sean Morgan led off the bottom of the fourth with a sinking flyball to right, which was nabbed by Orosz.

Center-fielder Chase Winstead turned in a similar effort to rob Phillips of a hit for the last out of the game. Catcher Nolan Scott threw out two Knights attempting to steal.

The Planets had received a hit and drew a walk in each of the first three innings, but were kept off the scoreboard by Knoch starter Jacob Wagner, who helped the Knights take a 1-0 lead. His two-out double in the bottom of the third preceded Jacob Stallsmith’s single that brought home courtesy runner Kyle Morgan.

Wagner finished the inning, but was relieved by Braden Kriley afterward. The latter surrendered the four unearned runs on six hits, striking out three and walking four.

“Jacob did well, was able to keep their hitters off-balance with his curveball,” said Stoops.

Kriley struck out four and did not allow a run in his three innings on the mound.

Zarian Finucan had two of Knoch’s six hits.

Mars 000 400 0 — 4 8 0

Knoch 001 000 0 — 1 6 4

W: Jackson Fox 5 IP (5K, 0BB). L: Jacob Wagner 4 IP (3K, 4BB). S: Kyle Haddad 2 IP (2K, 1BB).

Mars (3-2): Jake Johnson 3-1B R RBI, Zack Orosz 2-2B R, Owen Smith 1B R RBI

Knoch (1-4): Jacob Wagner 2B, Jacob Stallsmith 1B RBI, Zarian Finucan 2-1B

Wednesday: Riverside at Knoch

Thursday: Mars at Butler