Bethel Park grad bids baseball good-bye
Petras preps for gird career at Duquesne
Ryan Petras blamed his 0-for-3 showing at the plate during the inaugural Pennsylvania Baseball Coaches Association’s East-West All-Star game on June 22 at Medlar Field at Lambruno Park on the University of Penn State’s campus to “good pitching” and inactivity.
Sentimentality more likely was the culprit because after a record-breaking scholastic career, Petras played his last baseball game. This fall, the 2025 Bethel Park High School graduate will compete in football at Duquesne University.
“It was nostalgic,” Petras said of his all-star appearance. “One of my first games I played here and we won a state championship and now this was my last game. That’s amazing. It was a cool experience.
As an infielder for the West team, which lost to the East, 9-2, Petras played four innings. He struck out once and tagged two long fly balls. He successfully fielded a ground ball to shortstop, earning an assist on the putout
“The game was good except that we lost,” Petras said. “We faced really good pitchers. Coming off not seeing live pitching for a couple of weeks, I felt I had competitive at bats,” he added. “I put the barrel on the bat for hard outs on two of them.”
Throughout his four-year career, Petras has been a tough out.
As a freshman, he started seven games in center field and helped Bethel Park win a PIAA title in 2022. As a sophomore, he moved to shortstop and anchored the infield until the Black Hawks’ 2025 season ended in a 6-3 loss to Shaler on June 5 in the state quarterfinals.
During that span, Petras helped Bethel Park compile a 74-24 record complete with three section titles, two WPIAL championship appearances, two third-place showings in the district and one state title.
This spring, Petras led the team in hits (81), batting average (.444) and runs scored (30). He tagged eight doubles and one triple for a .568 slugging percentage. With 14 walks, he owned an on-base percentage of .526. BP’s lead-off hitter drove in 11 runs.
He set three school standards. He is the school’s all-time hits leader. His 113 hits eclipsed the mark of 112 set by Chris Buzzi in the 1980s.
Additionally, Petras holds two records for stolen bases. He finished with 80 career swipes. He also shattered his own single-season record with 27 steals this spring.
“Ryan leaves a legacy of how to work consistently whether you are finding success or failure in the immediate – it is not what you do in a day, it is what you do daily,” said BP manager Patrick Zehnder.
Before he competed in his last baseball game, Petras added another feather to his cap. An all-section performer, he gained All-State status for the third time in his career. As with his selection to compete in the all-star game, Petras said the accolade was “an honor” especially as it was a first-team distinction.
“In the all-star game, I had the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the state. There was great competition and it was a fun experience.
“Throughout the state there are so many talented players. I am very grateful and thankful for the selection to the game and the all-state team.”
Petras was also a three-time all-state performer on the gridiron. A starter since his freshman year, he amassed 1,148 career yards rushing and 108 receptions, despite missing seven games his senior year because of shoulder surgery.
Additionally, he was named the Greater Allegheny Conference Player of the Year the past two seasons. As a junior, he had 51 receptions. Last fall, he had 30 catches for 500 yards and a 16.7-yard average. He scored six touchdowns and added four extra points.
“Ryan has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest athletes to ever come through Bethel Park,” Zehnder said. “He is gifted athletically but he separates himself by the work he puts in that few people see, his mature mindset and competitive drive.”
That drive to compete propelled him to recover quickly from a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Six weeks removed from surgery, he returned to the gridiron. Then he worked on fine-tuning his skills for his final baseball season.
“My career at Bethel Park was quite special,” said the 18-year-old son of Dave and Nancy Petras. “My coaches made it the most impactful. Our coaching staff was the best in the WPIAL. They work countless, extra hours that take away so much from their families to help us get better every single day.
“None of my achievements would be possible without them as well as my teammates around me. I will miss putting a Bethel Park jersey on and respecting this program.”
Recently, Petras has been working out and lifting with his new teammates in preparation for football training camp on July 31 at Duquesne University. He plans to be in the starting lineup when the Dukes play the University of Pittsburgh at noon on Aug. 30 in Acrisure Stadium.
“I want to make an impact as a freshman. Start and help lead the team to a conference championship,” he said of his immediate goals.
Petras has come to terms with the end of his baseball playing career as well as the separation he is experiencing from his teammates, especially his best friend, Ryan Walsh, who will play baseball at Virginia Tech.
Originally, Petras had a baseball scholarship offer as a sophomore from Northwestern University. Because of his prowess on the gridiron, Princeton presented an opportunity to compete in both football and baseball, but a financial aid proposal made it cost-prohibitive for Petras to attend. Since the package came late in the recruiting process, it made it virtually impossible for Petras to pursue any further baseball opportunities.
“I’m going to miss baseball but I’m happy with Duquesne. It’s a good fit,” said Petras, whose mother competed in track and field for the Dukes.
“In baseball, I have formed so many strong bonds with my teammates. So many moments I treasure but my favorite ones weren’t necessarily the games but the bus rides and conversations I have had with them.
“This year, this group was special. It was a group of guys that just loved playing baseball. We balled through some adversity and that helped us play our best when it counted. In the end we grew as a team and we were very close. That’s what I am going to miss. There’s been a ton of memories.”
Notes
The Pennsylvania Baseball Coaches Association recently announced its all-state team. In addition to Ryan Petras being selected to the first team as an infielder, Michael Bruckner garnered second-team accolades as a utility player. A rising senior, Bruckner pitched and played third base at Bethel Park High School.
A Division I prospect, Bruckner led the Black Hawks in RBI with 22 and slugging percentage (.603) thanks to eight doubles, one triple and two home runs. He also had 35 strikeouts in 24 innings of pitching to go along with an 0.29 ERA and 3-0 record.
“Mike is already one of the best hitters and pitchers in the WPIAL, and with the work he puts in, he will be ready to take his game to another level next year,” said Zehnder.
According to Brian Jardine, who is president of the PBCA, the process of selecting the all-state team begins with district nominations and works its way to a vote from each committee member to arrive at a team in each classification.
“I want to thank Mark Saghy and his committee for tackling what amounts to be an impossible job and arriving at a very deserving team,” Jardine said. “These members poured over stats and details to select the most deserving student-athletes. The process is not easy and I truly commend these committee members.”