Franklin Regional shakes off early deficit, rolls past Penn Hills in section opener

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | 8:36 PM

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Faced with a surprise two-run deficit in his team’s home and Section 1-5A baseball opener, junior pitcher Nico Fioravanti didn’t show much concern.

He shrugged off Penn Hills’ quick start because there was a lot of game left. Well, at least a few more innings.

“The first inning was a little shaky, but that happened to us in Florida, too,” the 6-foot-2 left-hander said.

“I knew the bats would come alive. That got us going. I found a groove and kept going.”

Fioravanti allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 10 to backlight a 13-hit attack as the Panthers mercy-ruled visiting Penn Hills, 12-2, on Wednesday at Haymaker Park.

The game ended in the fifth.

Senior Luke Williams, sophomore Liam Bernadowski and junior Anthony Mitchell each had three hits from the top of the order for the Panthers (4-1, 1-0), who led 7-2 after two innings.

The top four hitters in the lineup were a combined 10 for 13 with nine RBIs.

Williams, a Vanderbilt commit, delivered his third inside-the-park home run of the season, and Bernadowski had three RBIs.

After two errors by the Panthers allowed Penn Hills (0-2, 0-1) to take a 2-0 lead, Williams led off the first with a triple as the speedster’s drive to right plugged in the mud.

Bernadowski singled him in and, after Mitchell’s single, sophomore Tim Pirone ripped a two-run double down the third-base line.

A wild pitch allowed another run to score to make it 4-2.

“The answer of four (runs) was huge,” Panthers coach Bobby Saddler said. “We knew Penn Hills would come out swinging. They got some good contact early and put guys on base. Our guys did a nice job responding.”

In the second, Williams struck again, this time launching a drive to deep center and outrunning the relay throw all the way home, chasing sophomore Evan Meeker to the plate for a two-run homer.

“I wanted to get our energy up,” Williams said. “I knew if I got on base as the leadoff guy, I could do that.”

Saddler called Williams the team’s “catalyst.”

“Our 1 and 2, they got it started for us,” the veteran coach said.

Mitchell’s RBI single following a balk on Indians’ starter Dontae Giddens gave the Panthers a 7-2 lead.

Fioravanti opened the fourth with a walk but proceeded to strike out three straight hitters.

“We feel confident giving him the baseball,” Saddler said. “In any situation.”

Mitchell added another run-scoring single in the fourth to score Bernadowski and make it 8-2.

Fioravanti had a walk, a wild pitch and hit batter in the fifth, but the Indians couldn’t squeeze out a run.

With two down in the home half of the inning, the Panthers capped the abbreviated finish.

Meeker cracked a two-run single and, two batters later, Bernadowski added a two-run double for a 12-2 advantage, satisfying the 10-run rule.

Williams finished 3 for 4, and Bernadowski and Mitchell were both 3 for 3.

Williams and Bernadowski each scored three runs.

Logan Bollinger had a hit and scored for Penn Hills.

Each team had five stolen bases.

Franklin Regional has outscored its opponents 35-13.

The Panthers have a young group with only five seniors on the roster. There are eight sophomores sprinkled in.

Williams was ready to step into a leadership role when he came back from an ankle injury for his senior season.

“I feel like it’s my job to show the young guys,” Williams said. “I need to show them what I was taught by other seniors. Take the group under my wing.”

The second game of the series is Thursday at Penn Hills.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Penn Hills