Jun 4, 2025 4 min read

Bethel Park embarked on PIAA Class 5A baseball tournament play on June 2 by beating host Dubois, 15-1, at Showers Field.

The game was halted after the fifth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule. It was Bethel Park’s second straight win by a lopsided margin, having beaten Petes Township, 17-1, in the WPIAL consolation contest to determine state seedings.

“Our success at the plate is a combination of players continuing to bat 1 percent better mechanically and mentally each day and having seven to eight guys that are swinging very hot bats right now,” said BP manager Patrick Zehnder. “We are producing from all areas of the lineup.”

In the triumph, the Black Hawks banged out 13 hits while the pitching of Owen White, Matthew Hughes and Dylan Paul combined for the win on the mound.

“I am proud of the way the guys continue to bring the energy and intensity throughout the physically demanding playoffs,” Zehnder said. “After long bus rides and practices, they find ways to stay motivated and energized when we need it.”

White allowed three hits in three frames. He struck out four and walked two. Hughes and Paul fired one inning each, striking out two apiece and allowing no hits.

Mike Bruckner and Ethan Stanhoff led the offensive attack.

Bruckner clubbed three doubles and drove in four runs.

Stanhoff had five RBI. He smashed two doubles. His two-run double snapped a scoreless game in the top of the third. He added a base-clearing two-bagger that stretched BP’s advantage to 6-1 in the top of the fourth.

Eric Miehl went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Joey Levis and Ryan Petras each had two hits. Levis drove in two and Petras one run.

White, Brian Bitkowski and Aaron Hofbauer also finished with base hits in the victory.

In the fourth frame, the Black Hawks sent 18 batters to the plate and exploded for nine hits, including four doubles. Five batters walked and one was hit by a pitch in the 13-run uprising.

“I can’t say I have been a part of a 13-run inning before,” Zehnder remarked. “It was a lot of fun other than my legs and my ‘sending home arm’ being sore afterward,” he laughed.

“Dubois was a good team. They had multiple good arms, including a starter going to WVU. But our approach and execution was on point, especially in that inning.”

With the win, Bethel Park improved to 20-5 overall and advanced to face Shaler (18-6) in the quarterfinals played June 4 at Gateway High School.

The Titans won their third WPIAL championship in six years when they beat Pine-Richland, 5-2, in the Class 5A final played May 27 at EQT Park in Washington. Shaler was the 2023 state champion while the Black Hawks won back-to-back PIAA crowns in 2021 and 2022.

The state semifinals are set for June 9 and the PIAA championships will be played June 12 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on the Penn State University campus.

PT falls

Mistakes led to Peters Township’s downfall in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A baseball tournament. The Indians surrendered two unearned runs and lost to Lampeter-Strasburg, 2-1, to end their season at 15-10 overall.

The host Pioneers scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. A two-base throwing error and a dropped third strike set up the initial tally. A pair of singles and an error contributed to the second score. Both runs crossed the plate on ground ball outs.

The Indians scored their run in the fifth.

Zach Miner singled. Adam Koraido entered as a courtesy runner and promptly swiped second base. He moved to third on a flout and scored on Jackson Stocker’s single.

The Indians had a scoring chance in the fifth but left the bases loaded as Cooper Hillen shut them down the remainder of the game. Hillen struck out six in 2 1/3 innings in relief of Devin Aponte, who started the game and threw 4 2/3 frames.

For the Indians, David Oberschelp tagged two hits.

Miner was saddled with the loss. He struck out five, walked one and scattered seven hits.

With the win, Lampeter-Strasburg improved to 20-5 overall. The Pioneers are the District 3 champion. They played Pine-Richland (20-4), an 8-4 winner over Central Mountain, in the quarterfinals played June 4.