Penn-Trafford keeps composure to pull away from Franklin Regional

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, May 5, 2025 | 8:36 PM

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Three things put Penn-Trafford to the test in its series opener against rival Franklin Regional.

The Warriors’ stomachs could have been — maybe should have been — in knots.

First, there was a two-run homer that trimmed their three-run lead to one in the fourth inning.

Then came a self-inflicted miscue — a fifth-inning error with the bases loaded — that again allowed the Panthers to get to within one.

After that, a near-40-minute lightning delay sent both teams to their dugouts Monday in Harrison City.

The Warriors, though, responded to each situation in a positive way, staying composed and in control to post a 7-3 victory that kept them in the Section 1-5A title chase.

Game 2 between the playoff-bound teams is Tuesday at Haymaker Park in Murrysville.

“We knew it wasn’t over yet and had to stay focused,” Warriors coach Lou Cortazzo said. “We did everything we talked about doing today. We put pressure on the defense. It was an overall team effort.”

Penn-Trafford (13-5, 9-2) stretched its winning streak to seven with one section game remaining. The defending WPIAL champion Warriors began the day tied with Latrobe for second place, one game in back of Plum.

Plum and Latrobe opened their series Monday night.

“We had to keep the same energy we had,” said Warriors first baseman Ethan Septak, who went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. “We get pumped up for these games. We had to step on it.”

Franklin Regional, which made five errors — only two Penn-Trafford runs were earned — dropped its third straight game and fell to 10-6, 6-5.

Penn-Trafford used four pitchers who allowed just as many hits, with starter Dom Delio earning the win after three strong innings. He left in the fourth with shoulder discomfort.

Rob Andrews and Aiden Drotos worked an inning apiece before Hunter Brown came on for the sixth and seventh to earn the save.

“Our pitching was really good today,” Cortazzo said. “Dom kept them in check. Hunter did a nice job, and we kept him under 25 pitches.”

The Panthers also faced some adversity. Well before the weather delay, starting pitcher NJ Ramchandran abruptly exited after only five pitches because of elbow soreness.

Nico Casciato singled in an unearned run off of Ramchandran, a Fairfield commit who recently returned to the rotation after early season elbow inflammation.

“He felt some soreness, so he came out,” Panthers coach Bobby Saddler said. “You never want to put someone in jeopardy. There was no hesitation.”

Ethan Raver relieved Ramchandran but issued a walk to Logan Matrisch, who then stole second.

Septak’s chopper up the middle went for a single and a 2-0 lead.

After catcher Colton Tyburski doubled to deep right center to open the second — Jason Malamisuro dropped a sacrifice bunt — Brayden Stone laced a double to deep center to extend the lead to 3-0.

“We hit the ball hard today,” Cortazzo said. “Their center fielder (Brady Yarabinitz) made some nice catches. If he was two inches shorter, we might have had more hits.”

In the fourth, with dark clouds moving in, Luke Williams walked and Brady Yarabinitz cracked a two-run homer to left off Delio to make it 3-2.

An error set up the Warriors’ fourth run. Zach Feldman reached on the miscue, and Tyburski singled to deep center. Malamisuro’s second sac bunt worked, and a second throwing error allowed a run to cross for a 4-2 score just before a crack of thunder and buzzing sound of a weather horn called for the delay.

“We have to play better defensively,” Saddler said. “Ethan and Nico came in and did a nice job. They gave us an opportunity to win the game. Now we have to be ready to turn around quickly and play seven innings of baseball.”

A Penn-Trafford error allowed Franklin Regional to again cut the deficit to one. In the fifth, after three walks in four at-bats, the Panthers loaded the bases against Drotos. An error on a pickoff attempt with two outs let a run in to cut it to 4-3.

But the Warriors finally added some insurance in the sixth. After Casciato made a diving catch, Stone opened the inning with a single and Casciato walked.

With one out, Septak sent a fly ball to deep right, but an error permitted the Warriors to plate another run.

With two out, Drotos stepped in and sent a two-run single to the gap in right center for a 7-3 advantage.

“(Penn-Trafford) had some good at-bats,” Saddler said. “Hats off to them. They did what they had to do to get the ‘W.’ Delio was efficient.”

Nico Fioravanti singled in the Panthers’ seventh, but Stone snared a hard-hit liner from Williams for an out at second, and Brown struck out Yarabinitz to end it.

Stone and Tyburski joined Septak with two hits apiece. Stone and Casciato had two runs each.

Jonah Willochell had two hits for the Panthers.

“Last year, we set goals to winning the section, WPIAL and state,” Septak said. “To get that first one again would be huge. This shows us we can really do this. It’s right in reach.”

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-Trafford