With roster full of returning starters, Bethel Park baseball sets expectations high
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Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 11:01 AM
Bethel Park pitcher Dylan Paul delivers against Chartiers Valley on May 10, 2023.
Bethel Park’s Noah Lejeune celebrates with Kaden Flambard (2) and Ethan Stanhoff after defeating Trinity, 11-1, in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal May 21, 2024, at Boyce-Mayview Park.
Prior to the start of the pressurized WPIAL season, the Bethel Park baseball team took a trip to the beach.
It wasn’t a vacation, per se, but a spring training trip Myrtle Beach, S.C., to compete against the likes of Sussex Tech (scrimmage), Putnam Science Academy, Boys Latin School, Patrick County High School and Central Bucks South.
The Black Hawks have a wealth of talent again this season including a combination of 10 returning starters or players who saw considerable diamond time — seniors Ryan Petras (IF), Ryan Walsh (P/OF), Joey Levis (P/OF), Jack Bruckner (OF), Noah LeJeune (IF), Dylan Paul (P/IF), Dylan Schumacher (P), Ethan Stanhoff (C/IF), Owen White (P/IF), and junior Mike Bruckner (P/IF).
“We return many players with both starting and general playing experience,” Bethel Park coach Pat Zehnder said. “They have been in big games and performed well, so expectations are understandably high going into this season. We hope to stay healthy and hungry and can’t wait to get going.”
Petras is a fourth-year starter who finished with a .452 batting average, 20 stolen bases, 27 runs and .973 fielding percentage last spring. He was named first team all-section and second team all-state.
Stanhoff batted .386 with 23 RBIs and was voted first team all-section. Other leading hitters on the club include Dylan Paul, who batted .333 last season, LeJuene, who hit .313 and belted four home runs, Mike Bruckner (.288 avg, 3 HR, 21 RBI) and Jack Bruckner (.286 avg, 8 SB).
On the mound, Walsh racked up a 2.26 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 2024, Schumacher had a 2.26 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, while Paul chipped in with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
A large group is looking to crack the starting lineup or hold key reserve roles this season, including the likes of senior outfielders Brian Bitkowski, Aaron Hofbauer and P Cody Roberts and juniors Nick Rillo (IF/P/C), Owen Turoski (OF), Mason Stewart (P/IF), Tyler Stewart (IF) and pitcher Matthew Hughes.
Top sophomore candidates include Caden Stokes (OF), Chase White (P/IF), Eric Miehl (C), infielders Brady Bruckner and Colton Fisher (IF) and pitcher Jace Rendulic.
There are 13 returning lettermen on the 2025 team and five potential Division I prospects — Petras, Walsh, Mike Bruckner, Rillo and Miehl.
Bethel Park finished as the WPIAL Class 5A runner-up last season and a PIAA quarterfinalist.
“We have seven out of nine starting positions returning from the WPIAL runner-up squad last year,” Zehnder said.
The Black Hawks won the Section 2 crown with a 7-3 record last season in a tight race with South Fayette (6-4), Connellsville (5-5) and Trinity (5-5) and ended up 16-8-1 overall.
Bethel Park won nine of 11 games in the second half of the season, including six of seven prior to the start of the playoffs.
Tags: Bethel Park
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