BARTOW — Bartow had two of the top pitchers in the county last season, but it didn’t have a definitive No. 1. After four years of Red Oxley dominating the Polk County pitching scene for Bartow, Ryleigh Knowlton and Brooklyn Tyson replaced her in the pitching circle, each capable of being the No. 1 but each also having small hiccups that opened the door for the other to take control.
One year later, Tyson is gone but Knowlton hasn’t exactly backed her way into the role of ace. She has been the dominant pitcher in Polk County and her only “cold” spell was the one inning against Montverde when she allowed her only run of the season.
Knowlton was nearly unhittable over the weekend as she led Bartow to the championship in the 2026 Bartow Home of Champions Softball Tournament, going 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA.
In the championship game after beating Auburndale in the semifinals, Knowlton entered the game against Plant City with the bases loaded, no outs and Bartow trailing 2-0 as No. 2 pitcher Ariel Ramirez struggled with her control. Knowlton proceeded to strike out three consecutive batters to get out of the inning and finished with five shutout frames, allowing just three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.
“There was a lot of pressure, but I really wanted to come in and finish out the game the game like that, but it was a lot of pressure,” she said.
Knowlton was hardly an average pitcher last season. She was 10-3 with a 2.62 ERA with 156 strikeouts and 34 walks in 92 2/3 innings playing against strong competition. Tyson was 10-5 with a 1.63 ERA. Knowlton was a first-team, all-county selection as a first baseman as she was a dangerous hitter in the middle of the order, batting .347. She was second on the team with 13 extra-base hits, including three home runs, and second with 34 RBIs.
After her effort over the weekend when she pitched 15 shutout innings with 26 strikeouts and allowing just six hits, Knowlton is 7-0 with a 0.18 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings.
“I think I am a lot more consistent,” Knowlton said. “I’ve worked a lot more this season to be able to get a lot more consistent. I think I’ve gained a lot more speed and worked — really worked — on my spin and hitting my spots a lot. more.”
Indeed, her strikeout and walk rate has improved from 11.7 strikeouts and 2.5 walks per seven innings to 12.3 strikeouts and 1.8 walks.
“She’s way better,” Bartow coach Glenn Rutenbar,” “She’s throwing harder and getting a lot of strikeouts. She’s done really well. She’s been dominant.We’re down 2- 0 with bases loaded , no outs, and she leaves at 2-0. That was huge. Then we came up and got five. She’s been Tremendous. I don’t know that she’s had a bad game.”
The only run Knowlton has allowed came against Montverde in the fourth inning with Bartow leading 4-0 when held the Eagles to just two hits.
“She’s been hot the whole year,” Rutenbar said. “She hasn’t been down. She struggled a bit in the preseason, which was kind of funny. It was like, oh well, here we go again. But since then, she’s been great.”
Knowlton knew coming into the season that the role of being the ace was hers for the taking, and she has embraced the role with both her effort and her mindset.
“It is a lot more responsibility, but I really like being in charge and being able to help dictate the game,” she said.
With Knowlton having settled in as the undisputed ace with her performance, it takes pressure off Ramirez, a transfer from Fort Meade, who has been solid overall with a 1.50 ERA entering the weekend. She hurled a one-hit shutout against Sarasota on Friday and is now 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA, still giving Bartow a solid duo to lead the pitching.
More importantly, however, Knowlton, a senior, has proven to Rutenbar that she is the undisputed ace. He is more than comfortable now with Knowlton leading the pitching staff.
“At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t sure,” he said. “But she’s proven herself. In 10 games now, she’s proven, she’s the one.”
Rutenbar, however, wants a No. 2 pitcher to develop consistency.
“The biggest thing is, of course I’d like to get somebody besides Ryleigh,” he said. “If Ryleigh keeps pitching like she does, then we’re in the ballgame.”
Knowlton’s movement toward being an elite pitcher enhances Bartow’s chances of contending for a state title. Rutenbar said the Yellow Jackets have showed signs of being more consistent hitting, which was up and down last year, and the defense from last year has improved.
As for her own hitting, Knowlton slumped in the tournament and saw her average drop from .316 to .214. However, her dominance on the mound will be the bigger factor in how far Bartow goes the season.
Knowlton already has one ring. She was a freshman first base, batting .235, when Bartow won the state title in 2023, splitting time with Julia Heter as Oxley’s backup. Her role this season, of course, will be much more important, and the Bartow senior is confident that the Yellow Jackets have the talent to contend.
“I think our team definitely came together a lot more to be able to be a team,” she said. “We’ve really started hitting the ball and putting in a lot of extra work at practices and in the games. I think we have a chance.”
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Ryleigh Knowlton has embraced the role as Bartow softball ace
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
