Bethel Park baseball teams have compiled a 97-28-1 record since 2021, finishing as WPIAL runner-up in 2021, 2023 and 2024 and in third place in the district in 2022 and 2025.
The Black Hawks won the state championship in 2021 and 2022 and advanced to the PIAA final eight the past three years.
Following the 2020 covid season, Bethel Park hasn’t missed the WPIAL or PIAA playoffs once and has reeled in four section crowns.
“After graduating 12 seniors last year, all of whom played large roles in our success, I am excited to see who steps up to fill the roles left vacant by graduation,” coach Pat Zehnder said. “I believe we have some great players that are ready for their shot, players that would have been starting already at other schools that haven’t been blessed with the talent we’ve had over the past few years.
“We expect to continue to play good fundamental baseball defensively, pound the strike zone on the mound and have productive at-bats offensively. We hope to get some timely hitting and productive at-bats throughout the lineup.”
Bethel Park’s baseball team is composed almost entirely of seniors and juniors this season.
The senior class is represented by Mike Bruckner (INF/P), Matthew Hughes (P), Dylan Quinn (INF), Nick Rillo (INF/C/P), Mason Stewart (INF/OF/P), Tyler Stewart (INF/P) and Owen Turoski (OF/P).
Bruckner (Akron), Hughes (Coppin State), Rillo (Marietta), Stewart (Cal, Pa.) and Turoski (LaRoche) have made their college commitments.
The baseball program suffered heavy graduation losses in the spring.
“We graduated 12 seniors from last season,” Zehnder said. “A junior-heavy squad (in 2026), we hope to get better as the year progresses and be playing our best baseball once the playoffs begin.
“I’m interested how this junior-heavy and hungry group can continue raising the bar of Bethel Park baseball like the teams that came before them. Many unknowns and positions to figure out, but Bethel Park still will be strong.”
Among the “known” facts about this year’s club is the number of returning starters — four — it is being built around: Bruckner and Rillo are infielders/pitchers, Hughes is a left-handed hurler, and junior Eric Miehl is a catcher/outfielder.
Bruckner was named second-team all-state and first-team all-section a year ago. He hit .368 with a .494 on-base percentage. Bruckner also logged a 0.29 ERA in 24 innings as the ace of the pitching staff.
Hughes recorded a 1.58 ERA in 21 1/3 innings of work. Rillo and Miehl contributed offensively, both as .300 hitters. Rillo hit over .500 in the postseason.
Zehnder believes Bruckner is one of the leading players in the district and anticipates big things from him in 2026.
“Mike finally started getting the recognition he deserves last year,” Zehnder said. “He is understated and avoids the limelight, but he deserves every accolade he has received over the past year and will hopefully earn this year.
“He is one of the top hitters and pitchers in the region. I expect him to be productive at the plate in spite of other teams targeting him as a player to not let singlehandedly beat them. I also look for him to continue his great success on the mound in whatever role the team asks of him.”
There are 10 juniors on this year’s team: Brady Bruckner (OF/INF), Colton Fisher (INF), Mike Hladio (1B/OF), Sam Knauff (OF), Miehl (C), Riley Philage (INF/C/P), Jace Rendulic (P), Caden Stokes (OF/INF), Grayson Wedoski (OF/C/P) and Chase White (INF/P).
Among the juniors, the Bethel Park coaches are counting on Bruckner, Stokes and White to immediately step in and make contributions.
Two top sophomore prospects are Brayden Barra (OF/P) and Ben Thomas (OF/P).
“We have been working on our fundamentals in every area this preseason,” Zehnder said, “and establishing the camaraderie and culture that is required to withstand the ups and downs of a baseball season.”
Bethel Park’s spring training included an excursion to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to participate in the Ripken Experience, “as well as some practices sprinkled throughout,” Zehnder said.
After a scrimmage March 16 with Western Reserve, the Black Hawks played the next day against Providence Day School (N.C.) and two days later versus West Greene (Pa.) and The Potomac School (Va.).
“Going on a trip with the team does a ton for our culture and camaraderie,” Zehnder said. “From traveling together to living with each other for four days, we noticed the team got a lot closer during the spring trip last year. We are able to do some team building events and just hang out together.
“Specifically to this year, there is some construction going on at our turf fields, other teams using the stadium turf, and our field has not been usable in any capacity until late-March or early April the last few years, we actually have not taken a single rep outside in March. Going to Myrtle allows us to not only get games in without worrying about cancelling or rescheduling, but it also allows us our first practices on a baseball field — and possibly our only practices on a real baseball field — until April.”
Bethel Park defeated Moon and Chartiers Valley twice in late April last season to clinch first place in Section 2-5A with a 9-3 record, ahead of Peters Township (8-4), Upper St. Clair (7-5), Trinity (6-6), South Fayette (5-7), Moon (4-8) and Chartiers Valley (3-9).
The Black Hawks went into the postseason with an eight-game winning streak, 16-4 record and No. 4 seeding for the WPIAL playoffs.
“We battled a lot of adversity — injuries, illnesses and otherwise — and the guys kept working and staying together and found ways to win,” Zehnder said.
Notable Bethel Park players who graduated from the last year’s squad include Ryan Petras, the club’s leading hitter, Ryan Walsh, Dylan Schumacher, Noah LeJeune, Ethan Stanhoff, Dylan Paul and Jack Bruckner.
The Black Hawks went 22-4 in both 2021 and 2022, winning state championships in both years.
There are numerous former Bethel Park athletes continuing their baseball careers at the next level, including Evan Holewinski (Kent State), Walsh (Virginia Tech), Nathan Vargo (Mercyhurst), John Chalus (Mercyhurst) and Ray Altmeyer (Mercyhurst) in Division I.
David Kessler (IUP), Schumacher (IUP), Jason Nuttridge (Cal, Pa.), Santino Diulus (Seton Hill), LeJeune (Seton Hill), Jack Edner (Clarion), Ben Lentz (Point Park) and Paul (Gannon) are competing in Division II.
Dylan Schmude, Ben Hudson, Kaden Flambard, Ryan Tierney and Owen White are continuing their careers at Division III colleges.
Zehnder predicted Moon and Peters Township, followed by Upper St. Clair and South Fayette, to be Bethel Park’s toughest opponents in section play in 2026.