May 21, 2024 3 min read

Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Trinity shortstop Matthew Robaugh (12) applies the tag on Ryan Petras as the Bethel Park junior attempts to reach third base in the fifth frame. Petras tagged three hits and helped the Hawks to victory against the Hillers, 11-1, in a WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinal playoff game.

By Joe Tuscano

For the Observer-Reporter

newsrooom@observer-reporter.com

UPPER ST. CLAIR – If you had the opportunity to shake out Section 2 teams in the Class 5A standings, you would probably find different outcomes all over the schedule.

But the one constant might be Bethel Park’s dominance over Trinity. The surprising Hillers stunned Plum in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs, tying the game in the seventh inning and finally prevailing 6-4 in the 11th inning. That type of success couldn’t be replicated against Bethel Park. The Hillers dropped a 10-1 decision on Bethel Park’s home field and 6-4 at home during the regular season and 11-1 Tuesday in a quarterfinal game at Boyce Mayview Park.

Trinity’s season came to an end with a 9-9 record. Bethel Park moved to 14-6-1 and will play either West Allegheny or Shaler in the semifinals.

“We needed to be mentally tough,” said Trinity head coach Jon Stack. “Bethel Park has had our number this year. We knew what we had to do. We just came out flat.”

Bethel Park had 15 hits and starter Santino Diulus kept the Hillers without a hit until Mekhi Bouman sent a single through the left side of the Bethel Park defense in the fifth inning.

“They are a good team but I don’t know if there are too many teams that we would not put up a performance like this against,” said Bethel Park head coach Patrick Zehnder. “This is great and feels good but we’ve got to be ready to go.”

Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Infielder Ryan Petras went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Designated hitter Dylan Paul went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Catcher Ethan Stanhoff went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

The top of Bethel Park’s lineup went 6-for-9, with six runs and three RBI. The heart of the BP lineup, batters No. 4, 5, and 6, went 5-for-10 with three runs and six RBI.

“The one hit he gave up was probably my fault,” Zehnder said. “I had the shortstop vacate the area. If that’s the only hit he gave up then I’m going to be sick.”

Diulus struck out seven and walked one.

“Their pitcher threw a heck of a game,” said Stack. “He did a great job keeping us off balance.

“I think we’re trending in the right direction. We made the playoffs for the second straight season. We have a great group of seniors who helped get us to this point. We fought to the very end of this game. We’re not finished yet.”