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Bethel Park returning to WPIAL baseball finals

Win against West-A seals championship berth

By Eleanor Bailey 5 min read
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Bethel Park first baseman Noah Lejeune focuses on catching the throw on a pick-off play against West Allegheny's Tegan Tomei. Although Tomei beat the throw, the Indians could not beat the Black Hawks because Lejeune tagged a sacrifice fly that scored the game-winning run, 7-6, in the top of the seventh inning.
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Bethel Park third baseman Michael Bruckner applies the tag but its too late at Brody Malatak slips into the bag safely after tagging a triple for West Allegheny. Though the Indians scored twice in the second stanza, the Black Hawks overcame the deficit to score a 7-6 win and advance to the WPIAL Class 5A finals set for 7 p.m. May 28 at Wild Things Park in Washington.
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Bethel Park players celebrate after beating West Allegheny, 7-6, to earn a berth in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game scheduled for May 28 at 7 p.m. at Wild Things Park in Washington. The Hawks are competing in the finals for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons. However, they have not won a WPIAL title since 1987.
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Dylan Schumacher was one of three pitchers Bethel Park used to turn back West Allegheny, 7-6, in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinal playoff game. In a two-inning stint, the junior struck out five, including the side in the sixth, and allowed one hit.
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Ryan Walsh clubs a two-run double in Bethel Park's five-run third inning. Walsh's hitting and four frames of pitching helped the Black Hawks to victory, 7-6, against West Allegheny.
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Dylan Paul pitched the final inning in relief to seal Bethel Park's 7-6 win against West Allegheny.

They’re back. The Black Hawks from Bethel Park are in a district baseball championship again.

By virtue of a 7-6 win against West Allegheny in a Class 5A semifinal game played May 22 at Ross Memorial Park in Washington, the Black Hawks return to the WPIAL championships for the second year in a row and third time in four years.

Bethel Park (15-6-1) will battle Penn-Trafford (16-3) at 7 p.m. May 28 at Wild Things Park in Washington for the title.

The Black Hawks, who have competed in 11 previous district finals, have not won a WPIAL crown since 1987. However, they have been three-time PIAA champions, winning state crowns in 1988, 2021 and 2022.

“We get another shot at this, and what’s really amazing is it’s with a very new group,” said BP manager Patrick Zehnder. “So, it’s exciting to expose this to some young guys who still have years left in them.”

The Black Hawks, who lost to Shaler in last year’s final, feature only two seniors in the line-up: centerfielder Ryan Tierney and second baseman Kaden Flambard. The rest of the starters are juniors with the exception of third baseman Michael Bruckner, who is a sophomore.

Additionally, Ryan Walsh, Dylan Schumacher and Dylan Paul, the three pitchers who combined on the mound to beat West-A, all are juniors.

Ryan Petras is the lone veteran with starting experience in a WPIAL final as well as a state championship game. The junior started in centerfield as a freshman on the 2022 state winner. He is a two-year starter at shortstop. He remembers last year’s championship debacle.

“Losing last year was heart-breaking,” he said of that 10-1 defeat. “We are just trying to come for some revenge and win it.

“Honestly, it feels amazing to get to the finals because our start to the year was a little slow because we had some new players but as the season went on we developed. We’ve come together as a family. We are tight and close. It’s a brotherhood here. Plus, we have confidence in ourselves and that’s gotten us to the point we are now.”

The Black Hawks certainly exhibited self assurance in the playoffs. After thumping Trinity, 11-1, they recovered from a three-run deficit to beat West-A in the semifinals. The Indians were the 2022 WPIAL champions and No. 1 seed in this year’s tournament.

West-A scored three runs in the first two frames. Brock Cornell doubled and scored on Logan Lambert’s base hit in the initial inning. In the second stanza, Brody Malatak tripled and scored on Joah Buglak’s single. A double by Brady Miller scored Buglak.

Bethel Park, however, answered with five runs in the top of the third.

Sandwiched in between Tierney and Stanhoff getting hit by pitches, Petras singled. Michael Bruckner and Walsh then clubbed back-to-back two-run doubles. BP added two more hits in the inning, including an RBI-single by Joey Levis.

With two outs in the fourth, BP struck again. Back-to-back base hits by Stanhoff and Bruckner produced the team’s sixth tally. Courtesy runner Aaron Hofbauer, who stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch, scored the run.

West-A responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth. A two-run double by Miller and a sacrifice fly by Will Gubba plated the runs.

BP scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh. Bruckner singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Noah LeJeune’s sacrifice fly to center field. In between, Walsh walked and Owen White laid down a successful bunt to load the bases for LeJeune. West-A, however, pitched out of a potentially big inning by getting the final two outs on strikeouts.

“This was one of those back-and-forth games between two great teams,” Zehnder said. “West Allegheny threw a lot of punches and we were able to punch back and take a lot without getting too down on ourselves. I was pleased with the stoicism (my players) showed and the perseverance that it took to get through some of those tough scenarios and situations that they found themselves in. I’m so proud of these guys.”

Zehnder was particularly pleased with Stanhoff and how he managed the game from behind the plate.

“We are so fortunate in this program to have guys like him,” Zehnder said. “(Ethan) is so humble. He’s in the three spot but he’s fine putting down a sacrifice bunt. Defensively, no balls get behind him and he controls the running game. He is a great guy back there for the pitchers.”

Walsh hurled the first four frames, striking out five, before yielding to Schumacher. In a two-inning stint, Schumacher fanned five, including the side in the bottom of the sixth. Paul pitched the final frame, which ended in a double play initiated by Petras at shortstop and completed by the second and first base tandem of Flanbard and Lejeune.

Having an abundance of arms provides the Hawks with an advantage over other opponents, says Zehnder.

“The later the game gets, the closer the game gets, we rely on our depth,” he said. “I don’t think there are too many teams as deep as us on the mound or offensively. We have all the faith in those two guys and a few more to get the job done if their numbers are called. We believe in our guys and they believe in themselves.”

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