The Sewickley Academy baseball team started out dismally this season with three losses before righting the ship with four consecutive victories.
The Panthers routed West Greene and Monessen, both by 16-1 scores in four innings, followed with a 17-0 whitewash over Monessen again in four frames, and trounced Union, 13-6, to improve to 5-3 overall.
After being swept by Eden Christian Academy in a two-game series, Sewickley rebounded with three wins to go to 8-5 overall.
But a four-game losing streak prior to the postseason gave the Panthers an 8-9 record and a 3-5 finish in Section 3-A.
Sewickley dropped a 7-4 decision to Carmichaels in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs May 11 at Washington & Jefferson College.
“Overall, I’m proud of the way our team competed this season,” Sewickley coach Andrew Petruska said. “While finishing 8-10 and losing our last five games was disappointing, this group showed a lot of growth throughout the year.”
Here’s the good news: The Panthers will have 13 of the team’s 15 players back for next season and eight of nine starters.
Here’s some not-so-good news: Billy Pietragallo (INF/OF/P) and Niko Frazzini (OF), who also competed in golf and lacrosse at Sewickley, were seniors on the club.
Pietragallo was the team’s top hitter and a certified team leader. He racked up a .542 batting average while recording 10 extra-base hits, including five doubles, four triples and one home run.
“Losing Billy will be tough because he was such an important part of our team both offensively and defensively,” Petruska said. “He led the team in batting average and was willing to play just about anywhere on the field to help the team succeed.
“More importantly, I’m very proud of this group of young men and everything they accomplished this season.”
Pietragallo and Frazzini were honored May 7 during Sewickley’s senior night festivities prior to the team’s final game of the regular season against Aquinas Academy.
Pietragallo led the Panthers offensively, going 3 for 3 with an RBI triple while Frazzini chipped in with one hit. Pietragallo also tossed four scoreless innings on the mound before Aquinas pushed across two late-inning runs to secure the win.
Logan Bereznay, a freshman infielder/pitcher, clouted three home runs in 2026, while junior outfielder/pitcher Jacob Stanislaw finished with nine doubles and 20 RBIs.
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Austin Fritz was the Panthers’ workhorse on the mound with eight starts and 36 innings pitched.
“Our coaching staff values developing (athletes) not only as baseball players but also as people,” Petruska said. “The relationships they build, the lessons they learn through the game and the way they represent themselves matter just as much as wins and losses. We’re excited about where Sewickley Academy baseball is headed.
“Offensively, we had a very strong season at the plate and consistently competed against quality opponents. We also had two young starting pitchers gain valuable experience and show they can be major pieces for us moving forward. More importantly, our players continued to grow as teammates and young men, which is something our staff takes a lot of pride in.”
The ninth-seeded Panthers lost the three-run playoff decision to No. 8 Carmichaels, which tied for third place with Jefferson-Morgan in Section 1.
“I thought our players competed hard and represented Sewickley Academy well,” Petruska said. “Unfortunately, we came up short, but our guys continued to battle and never stopped competing.
“Playoff baseball often comes down to a few key moments, and we just weren’t able to capitalize enough in those situations. Even with the result, it was valuable experience for many of our younger players who will return next season.”
Sewickley’s veteran field boss is excited for the team’s outlook in upcoming years.
Stanislaw (OF/P), Fritz (INF/P) and sophomore catcher Charlie Scally were returning starters in 2026 and will be back again in 2027.
Other notable newcomers included freshman Justes Mills and Caden Hawkins.
“The future is bright for our program,” Petruska said. “Returning 13 of 15 players and eight starters gives us a strong foundation moving forward. We also have a lot of talent coming up from middle school, which is exciting for the long-term future of Sewickley Academy baseball.
“One of the biggest things we emphasize in our program is understanding the game of baseball — knowing situations, playing the game the right way, and learning how to help your teammates succeed. We believe that mindset, along with the talent in the program, puts us in a good position moving forward.”