Bethel Park beats Donegal to advance to state finals in baseball
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
David Kessler (3) and Ben Hudson react jubilantly as Donegal players in the background watch dejectedly to the action in a decisive seventh inning. Kessler singled and scored the game-winning run while Hudson drove in an insurance tally with a base hit as Bethel Park went on to beat the Indians, 8-5, in the PIAA Class 5A semifinal playoff game.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ray Altmeyer gets a hero’s welcome after he drove in two runs and eventually scored a third tally in Bethel Park’s seventh-inning uprising against Donegal. The three runs enabled the Hawks to defeat the Indians, 8-5, and advance to the PIAA finals for the second year in a row.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Bethel Park catcher John Chalus reacts after his triple shot an arrow through Donegal’s heart during PIAA semifinal action. Chalus doubled and scored two runs in BP’s 8-5 win over the Indians.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Cody Geddes brings the heat during the seventh inning, striking out a pair and getting the final out on a foul ball pop-up to first base, as Bethel Park defeated Donegal, 8-5, in the PIAA Class 5A semifinal game.
John Chalus slides into third safely after smacking a triple in the third inning. Chalus scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Evan Holewinski. Bethel Park went on to beat Donegal, 8-5, to move on to the PIAA finals.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ray Altmeyer drilled a two-run single in the seventh inning to lead Bethel Park to victory, 8-5, over Donegal in the PIAA Class 5A semifinal playoff game.
As a designated hitter, Ray Altmeyer spends much of his time on the sidelines inspiring his Bethel Park teammates.
“We are all cheerleaders. There are 25 of us,” he said. “We back up our offense and our defense non-stop all game.”
In a PIAA Classs 5A semifinal playoff game June 13 at Mt. Aloysius College’s Calandra-Smith Field, Altmeyer backed up the Black Hawks with one huge hurrah. He tagged an RBI single that lifted BP to victory, 8-5, over Donegal (18-9).
Before coming to the plate in the top of the seventh, Altmeyer had walked in three previous at-bats. With no outs and with David Kessler and Cody Geddes on base via singles, Altmeyer ripped a single up the middle.
“Obviously, I was struggling a little bit going into that at-bat but the guys found a way to get on base and I just did what I know. I put a barrel on the ball up the middle,” Altmeyer said. “I knew I was going to get at least one in. And that was all we needed.”
BP manager Patrick Zehnder knew Altmeyer would respond.
Through the playoffs, Altmeyer is batting .338 with a .420 on-base percentage. He has drilled seven doubles and two homers while driving in 19 and scoring 13 runs.
“Ray’s an animal. He’s been one of our most consistent hitters all season. So steady,” Zehnder said.
“Kessler and Geddes get on base all the time so it’s great to have a hitter of Ray’s talent and his ability in the five spot. Ray’ does it all. He’s an extra-base threat. Pounds the ball up the middle. Hits the ball to the opposite field.”
Despite his compact stature, Altmeyer is a success at the plate. He’s also one of the team’s most vocal leaders.
“Ray s one of those heart beat guys on the team,” Zehnder said. “He’s going to bring the emotion and the guys love it.”
John Challus, on the other hand, is one of the low-key guys in the lineup. He collected two hits against the Indians.
Chalus doubled and scored on Evan Holewinski’s double in the second inning. He tripled and scored on Holewinski’s sacrifice fly in the third, providing the Hawks with a 5-0 edge.
After sliding into third, Chalus let loose, striking a arrow-slinging pose before rising from the bag.
“Johnny is subdued. Introverted,” added Zehnder. “But he still can crack a good joke once in a while. He’s an awesome kid and it’s great to see a kid who is so steady emotionally kind of show how happy he is and how big the moment is.”
A two-year starter behind the plate, Chalus is only a junior. He is batting .329 with a .405 on-base percentage for the Hawks. He has driven in 15 and scored 22 runs.
“For my money, he is the best defensive catcher in the state. I can’t say enough about his skills. He is so steady back there,” Zehnder said. “He’s also having a great offensive year.
“When he’s able to pound the ball like that, he injects life into the kids. When your catcher hits a triple like that, you know you are having a productive day. I have to pinch myself every day because we get him for one more year. That’s crazy.”
Insane was how BP was zipping along, looking as if it would win easily, but Donegal got to starting pitcher Nathan Vargo. After striking out three, he hit Brock Hammaker to start the fourth frame. Hammaker moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on a base hit by Nicholas Eichelberger.
Though Ryan Walsh struck out the side in the sixth, the freshman reliever ran into trouble shortly after surrendering a home run to AJ Small. With one out, Walsh hit Landon Sexton before yielding to Geddes.
Geddes earned the win on the mound despite being roughed up for three runs. He walked the second batter he faced then surrendered a run-scoring single to Landen Robertson as well as a two-run double by Cory Allman before ended the inning with a strikeout.
“When I let up the another hit and they scored those runs to tie the game, I took a step off the mound and took a deep breath. I knew I have been in this position before so I didn’t let it affect me that much. I just had confidence we were going to go back into the dugout and score a run and get the lead and I was going to come back out and close it.”
In the top of the seventh, Kessler and Geddes led off with the singles before Altmeyer provided the dramatic hit. Ben Hudson then tagged an RBI single to complete the rally.
Geddes struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh then ended the game by getting a pop-up, foul-ball out.
“Cody is one of the best players in the state already,” Zehnder said. “When the moments are the biggest, he just finds a way to find another level. You can’t ask anymore from a leader like that.”
With the win, BP improved to 20-4 overall. The Hawks advanced to the state finals for the second year in a row.
In the 2021 championship, BP defeated Red Land, 4-2. The Hawks faced Selingsgrove in the PIAA Class 5A final played at 4:30 p.m. June 17 at Penn State’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
“I’m so proud of this group,” Zehnder said. “There is so much fight in these guys.”
“This is what we have been working for all season,” Geddes said. “We’ve come together as one and cheering each other on no matter what happens. We just wanted to keep on playing.”
“We have a lot of heart on this team,” added Altmeyer. “We really put together a good season but we wanted to keep going.”