Franklin Regional baseball hopes to make title run

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Franklin Regional has won three WPIAL baseball titles, the last coming in 2021 when it defeated Bethel Park, 2-1, in the championship game.

Is this the year the Panthers add a fourth title?

Veteran coach Bob Saddler said he’s excited about this year’s squad, which returns five starters from a team that tied Fox Chapel, Penn-Trafford and Plum for the Section 1-5A title, finished third in the WPIAL playoffs and dropped a 4-2 game to Hollidaysburg in the PIAA playoffs.

“I believe that this year’s team has the potential to be very good in all phases of the game,” Saddler said. “We return some of our pitchers and position players from last year, and I expect them to expand their roles this season.”

The Panthers do have huge holes to fill.

• Blake Bertucci was 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA and batted .343 with 23 hits, seven doubles and 20 RBIs. Betrucci is playing at Gannon.

• Max Bernadowski was 7-2 with a 2.71 ERA. He batted .314 with 19 runs scored, 22 hits and 14 RBIs. He’s playing at Slippery Rock.

• Also gone are outfielder Cole Brinker, designated hitter Darren Deriggi and third baseman Josh Hudak (Pitt-Greensburg). Brinker is becoming a pilot and Deriggi, the team’s leading hitter at ,510, ran out of eligibility.

Saddler will be counting on center fielder Brady Yarabinitz, third baseman N.J. Ramchandran, shortstop Luke Williams, second baseman Chase Lemke and catcher Ryan Catello to pick up the slack.

Yarabinitz hit .288 and had 14 RBIs. Ramchandran batted .368, had 21 hits and 13 RBIs and was 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA. Williams hit .350, scored 21 runs, had 21 hits, 18 RBIs and 10 extra base hits (five doubles, one triple and four home runs). and Lemke hit .262 and had 16 hits.

“Players who are stepping into or competing for starting roles need to step up and make an immediate impact for us to achieve our goals,” Saddler said. “Execution in all phases of the game is something that we have been talking about with the players throughout the off season.

“During games, there are going to be times of adversity, and we have to rise to the moment in those situations. We have numerous underclassmen looking to earn starting jobs.”

Those competing for jobs include Jonah Willochell (pitcher/first baseman), Anthony Mitchell (outfield), Ethan Raver (pitcher/third baseman), James Templeton (pitcher/infielder) and Nico Fioravanti (pitcher/first baseman).

Saddler said Class 5A has numerous outstanding teams.

In fact, the Panthers’ section (1-5A) features a fantastic group.

The section includes Armstrong, Latrobe, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford and Plum. Latrobe and Kiski Area moved up from Class 4A, while Fox Chapel and Gateway were moved out.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional