PITTSBURGH (July 25, 2022) – The Pittsburgh Knights and the Pittsburgh Pirates joined together this past Saturday (July 23) night to host the inaugural ‘Gaming Knight’ at PNC Park presented by Zenni Gaming.
Gaming Knight featured a Rocket League tournament – open to local kids – organized by the Knights, before the Pirates hosted the Miami Marlins at the ballpark. The player registration fee included two tickets to the baseball game and one entry into the tournament, which took place in the stadium’s Left Field Lounge, which offered tournament participants views of both the playing field and the city of Pittsburgh.
The tournament was produced by the Knights and featured one v. one matches in a single elimination bracket competition. The Semi-Finals and Grand Finals of the tournament were broadcast by the Knights.
Jaden Stains of Forest Hills defeated Ethan Eckley in the best of three Grand Finals to capture the first-place $1,000 prize package which included cash, a Zenni $100 Gift Card, a Sheetz $250 Gift Card, HyperX peripherals and a Pirates customized bat and jersey.
Four members of the Pittsburgh Knights professional Rocket League team – Gianluca ‘Sosa’ Petrozza, Carlos ‘Cheese’ Aguado, Kody ‘Wellace’ Richards, and head coach Landon ‘McLando’ Mellor – all attended Gaming Knight. Throughout the tournament, the pro Knights interacted with the tournament participants, posed for pictures and signed autographs, as well as answered gaming questions and provided some Rocket League advice to participants and spectators.
Jaden Stains
- $250
- Zenni $100 Gift Card
- Sheetz $250 gift card
- HyperX peripherals
Ethan Eckley
- $200
- Zenni $100 Gift Card,
- Sheetz $50 gift card,
- HyperX peripherals
Jose Venero
- $125
- Zenni $100 Gift Card
- Sheetz $50 gift card
- HyperX peripherals
Josh McCue
- $125
- Zenni $100 Gift Card
- Sheetz $50 gift card
- HyperX peripherals
Rounding out the top-eight finishers were Andrew Dickson (5th-place), Gabriel Martucci (6th-place), Tracy Farrar (7th-place) and Canaan Kerestesi (8th-place). Finishers five through eight each received $75 and a HyperX Controller.
After the tournament, the winners were announced on the Pirates scoreboard between innings of the game. In addition, the top finishers posed for pictures with the Knights professional Rocket League team and former Pirates All-Star pitcher Jason Grilli.
Following the completion of the tournament, the Left Field Lounge was open for Rocket League ‘free play.’
“Gaming Knight was a great event and the result of a true partnership between the Knights and Pirates,’ says Knights president James O’Connor. “We were able to bring the local gaming community together for a fun, competitive, and engaging experience for all those that attended. Already we’ve received some great feedback from the participants and fans, as well as our pro Rocket League players. We look forward to working with the Pirates to make Gaming Knight an annual event on the team’s schedule.”
