Highlight Video

Bitter ending

Saegertown’s season ends in 2A semifinal round vs. Greenville

By Alex Topor

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

HERMITAGE — Saegertown led for a majority of the game, but fell short 4-3 against Greenville in a District 10 Class 2A semifinal at Hickory High School on Friday.

In the top of the first, it looked like the Panthers were going to build a huge lead. After a single from Wyatt Burchill, a walk from Blake Leslie and a hit by pitch from Blake Burchill, Saegertown loaded the bases with no outs. DeMarcus Manning’s RBI single and Levi Gardner’s walk gave Saegertown a 2-0 lead with no outs.

Greenville ace Carter Reichard worked a strikeout before Greenville’s defense came up with a big double play to save any more runs.

Wyatt Burchill and Blake Leslie each walked on in the second inning, but were left on base. From there, scoring opportunities were few and far between for the Panthers.

“Two games in a row, the first round game and this game, we had bases loaded inning-ending double plays. It happened against Wilmington and again today. It’s tough,” Saegertown head coach Nick Leslie said. “We had them on the ropes a little bit in the first inning. Then he (Reichard) settled in. You tip your hat to that kid, he did a great job.

“Their lefty (Jacob Csonka) that comes in is real tough. He is all arms and legs and it’s an uncomfortable atbat. We squandered some opportunities, but that’s baseball.”

Greenville got on the board in third. The Trojans loaded the bases with no outs and Blake Rottman scored on a passed ball.

Despite the situation, Saegertown ace William Shaffer struck out the next three batters to preserve Saegertown’s lead, 2-1.

Blake Burchill drilled a solo shot over the left field wall in the fifth that pushed Saegertown ahead 4-1, but the lead was short-lived.

Greenville’s Brandon Stubert hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth. The score pushed Greenville ahead 4-3.

Shaffer responded with two strikeouts and a groundout in the fifth. Shaffer finished his day with nine strikeouts, one walk, seven hits and three earned runs.

“He made one bad pitch in the entire game. You can’t hang that on your starting pitcher,” Shaffer said. “The kid, their third batter, he had a great season this year. He put a good swing on it and hit a three-run homer and three-run homers tend to win you ball games.”

Saegertown stranded two runners in the top of the sixth before Wyatt Burchill forced Greenville three up, three down in the bottom of the frame.

With the game on the line in the top of the seventh, Csonka, Greenville’s reliever, worked a strikeout and a ground out. Blake Burchill walked on base, but Csonka earned his second strikeout of the game to give Greenville the win.

Greenville will play Mercyhurst Prep on Monday for the District 10 Class 2A championship.

Manning was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Saegertown. Wyatt Burchill, Blake Leslie and Blake Burchill each scored a run.

The Panthers ended their season 15-3 overall.

It was the final game for Saegertown seniors Wyatt Burchill, Garrett Crawford, Aaron Shartle, Gabriel Jordan, Manning and Reese Wilkinson.

“The game of baseball, you go out and try to compete and do your best,” Leslie said. “Sometimes your best isn’t good enough that day. I’m super proud of this group. I think the biggest thing is, we are losing a group of seniors that really developed a family type of culture where they took younger guys under their wings.

“They were good friends. I think that will be the biggest takeaway is keeping that tradition of family alive moving forward.”

May 20, 2025

Baseball

Saegertown 10, Wilmington 0

SLIPPERY ROCK — The Saegertown baseball team defeated Wilmington 10-0 in six innings of a District 10 Class 2A quarterfinal contest at Slippery Rock University on Monday.

William Shaffer struck out two and walked one in four innings of hitless baseball. Levi Gardner fanned three and allowed one hit in one inning of relief. Blake Burchill allowed one hit and struck out two in one inning on the mound.

“I think that win was attributed to the pitching staff,” Saegertown head coach Nick Leslie said. “William did an excellent job getting us started. We were able to get a lead there and save him then got work for Levi and Blake Burchill.”

Shaffer finished with 46 pitches and will be available for Thursday’s game.

Saegertown out-hit Wilmington 8-2. Everett Gardner was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Wyatt Burchill scored two runs. Blake Leslie had six RBIs with a double and Reese Wilkinson added a double.

“He (Blake Leslie) put a couple good swings on the ball with a base-clearing double. Then did a real nice job driving a ball to center field for a sac fly. Then the floodgates opened a little bit,” Leslie said. “We were able to get some big hits with guys on. We were able to run a little bit. Their lefty that started, Wygant, he did a real nice job.

“He was effective in controlling the running game. He was effective in moving the ball in and out and we couldn’t get a lot of good swings on him. But we were able to finally scratch some out and it opened up from there.”

Saegertown, the No. 2 seed in the Class 2A bracket, will play Greenville on Thursday in the semifinals at a time and place to be determined.

May 16, 2025

Baseball

Panthers top Yellow Jackets 8-5

GIRARD — Saegertown’s baseball team ended the regular season with an 8-5 non-region win at Girard on Thursday.

Tyler Cherpak struck out four in six innings on the mound and allowed four hits and one earned run.

Cherpak was 2-for-4 and DeMarcus Manning added two hits and two RBIs. Gabriel Jordan scored three runs.

Saegertown ended the regular season 14-2 overall.

May 15, 2025

Baseball

Saegertown loses to Lakeview, shares region title with the Sailors

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

STONEBORO — Saegertown lost 10-3 to Region 3 foe Lakeview on Wednesday to split the region crown with the Sailors.

Lakeview scored four runs in the first inning via a Maddox Bell grand slam. Saegertown scored three runs in the third, but couldn’t plate anymore runs in the contest.

Reese Wilkinson was 2-for-3. Blake Burchill had a two-run home run in the third.

Levi Gardner struck out five in four and a half innings of work.

Saegertown is 13-2 overall and 11-1 in the region. The Panthers will conclude the regular season today at Girard.

May 14, 2025

Baseball

Saegertown wins in three

CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Saegertown’s baseball team beat Cambridge Springs 17-1 in three innings of a Region 3 game on Tuesday.

DeMarcus Manning struck out three in two innings for Saegertown. Blake Burchill, Blake Leslie and William Shaffer each hit a triple. Gabriel Jordan had four RBIs, Leslie had three and Shaffer had three.

Saegertown moved to 11-0 in region games and 13-1 overall. The Panthers play at 10-1 Lakeview today and can win the region outright with a win, or share the region with a loss.

Cambridge Springs lost to Lakeview 23-1 on Monday. The Blue Devils are 3-10 on the year and 2-9 in region games. They are set to host Cochranton today.

May 9, 2025

Baseball

Panthers score 24 runs in Region 3 win

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

SAEGERTOWN — The Saegertown baseball team beat Jamestown 24-7 in three innings in a Region 3 game on Friday at Ed Acker American Legion Field.

The Panthers scored four runs in the first inning and 20 in the second. Wyatt Burchill, Aaron Shartle and Gabriel Jordan were each 4-for-4. DeMarcus Manning had three hits.

Saegertown out-hit Jamestown 23-6. Garrett Crawford struck out four on the bump and allowed one earned run.

The Panthers are 12-1 overall and 10-0 in Region 3 action. Saegertown is scheduled to play at Cambridge Springs on Tuesday for another region contest.

May 9, 2025

Baseball

Stacking up wins

Panthers out-hit Cards in big 15-2 win at home

By Alex Topor

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

SAEGERTOWN — Saegertown stuck to their brand of baseball on Thursday with aggressive base running and solid plate approaches. The result was a 15-2 win over Region 3 foe Cochranton at Ed Acker American Legion Field.

The Panthers scored twice in the opener and three times in the second for a 5-1 lead. Saegertown did most of its damage in the third with a seven-run inning to blow the top off the game.

In the third, the Panthers had five hits, a walk and reached on an error before Cochranton managed an out. Gabriel Jordan and Blake Leslie each had a double in the inning. Saegertown added three runs to its total in the fourth thanks to doubles from Tyler Cherpak and William Shaffer.

In relief, Levi Gardner struck out the side in the top of the fifth to clinch the mercy- rule victory.

Wyatt Burchill, Leslie and Jordan each had three hits for Saegertown. Wyatt Burchill scored four runs and Leslie scored three, with two doubles. Shaffer fanned six, walked one and allowed four hits as the starter.

“Offensively I thought we did a pretty nice job. Pitching and defense, I thought we were sloppy. I think it is attributed to we haven’t played in over a week and we

haven’t been on a baseball field in over a week,” Saegertown head coach Nick Leslie said. “We have some stuff to cleanup. I think the weather will work out for us moving forward and hopefully we can get a couple practices in.

“I think that, for any team in this area, the more you can get outside and practice right now the better you will be in the postseason.”

Cochranton got on the scoreboard in the second when Ben Field’s RBI-single scored Andrew Albert. Cochranton opened the third with back-to-back singles. Albert then brought Trent Hoban on ground out for the Cardinals’ second run of the game.

Defensively, Cochranton had three errors and seven walks between three pitchers, making it tough for the Cardinals.

“Saegertown is a really good team. They’re well coached and solid top to bottom. Their pitching, fielding was solid,” Cochranton head coach Jarod Morrison said. “If you look at it, we had our chances at the plate and in the field we just didn’t execute our game plan. We gave them a lot of extra bases. We had a lot of errors. Walker didn’t have his best stuff today, but he battled and tried his best and competed. We will be okay.”

Walker Carroll started for Cochranton on the mound and struck out three with four walks in two innings. Brayden Burnette and Ben Field each pitched an inning of relief.

Cochranton is 4-8 overall and 4-5 in Region 3 action. The Cardinals have three games scheduled next week to round out the regular season. They will play at Maplewood on Monday.

“I think we just need to focus on ourselves and be more consistent. Try to field, make consistent routine plays and throw strikes,” Morrison said. “We had a lot of walks and a lot of errors and that usually isn’t a recipe for success. We need to keep a simple approach at the plate, too. Get the next guy over, make some plays and take good swings at the ball.”

Saegertown moved to 11-1 overall and 9-0 in region action. The Region 3 leader is set to host Jamestown today and play at Cambridge Springs on Tuesday before playing at Lakeview on Wednesday. Lakeview is right behind Saegertown in the region standings. The only blemish on the Sailors’ region record is a 5-0 loss at Saegertown last month.

May 2, 2025

Baseball

Panthers top Orioles

ROCKY GROVE — Saegertown defeated Rocky Grove 10-6 in a Region 3 baseball contest on Wednesday.

Blake Burchill had three RBIs, Blake Leslie had two doubles and DeMarcus Manning was 2-for-4 with three runs.

On the bump, Levi Gardner struck out four and allowed one earned run. Everett Gardner and DeMarcus Manning allowed four hits and one earned run in relief.

Saegertown is 8-0 in region play and 10-1 overall. The Panthers are scheduled to play at North East today in a non-region game.

April 30, 2025

Baseball

Panthers blank Tigers

SAEGERTOWN — The Saegertown baseball team shutout Maplewood 3-0 in a Region 3 contest on Monday.

Blake Burchill fanned six and allowed five hits on the bump. Blake Leslie was 2-for-3 at the dish.

Saegertown is 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the region. The Panthers are scheduled to play at Rocky Grove today.

Maplewood is 7-5 overall and 4-4 in region play. The Tigers are slated to host Reynolds for a non-region game on Thursday.

April 24, 2025

Baseball

Region showdown

Panthers blank Sailors 5-0 to take region lead

By Alex Topor

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

SAEGERTOWN — Saegertown welcomed Lakeview for a Region 3 baseball showdown on Wednesday. Each team was 5-0 in region action and hadn’t lost to a District 10 team this season.

The Panthers jumped on the Sailors early with a four-run opening inning and rode the lead for a 5-0 win at Ed Acker American Legion Field.

Wyatt Burchill and Blake Leslie opened the first with back-to-back singles. William Shaffer reached on a Lakeview error, and Wyatt Burchill scored on the same error.

Levi Gardner delivered an RBI single to right field. During DeMarcus Manning’s atbat, Gardner attempted to steal second and got caught in a pickle. Meanwhile, Shaffer stole home from third, and Gardner was safe at second. Manning’s flyout pushed Gardner to third, and then home thanks to a wild pitch in the next at-bat.

The aggressive base running in the opening inning is exactly the Panthers’ style, according to head coach Nick Leslie.

“That’s the game of baseball. Our offensive system is based on trying to score in the first inning,” Leslie said. “When you do that it puts the ball in our court and it makes them press at the plate.”

On the mound for Saegertown, Shaffer kept Lakeview off balance. The Sailors went three up, three down in the second and managed one hit in the third.

In the fourth, the Sailors were in a good position to rally, but a heads up defensive play from Blake Leslie ended the inning. Lakeview drilled a liner to left fielder Gabriel Jordan. Jordan hit his cut off man, Leslie, who fired to second base and beat Lakeview’s runner to the bag. It kept the Sailors from getting two runners in scoring position.

Lakeview’s Parker Montgomery belted a double to the warning track in the fifth with one out, but Shaffer answered with a strikeout and a line out to third baseman Blake Burchill to get out unscathed.

Saegertown added to its lead in the fifth off a Blake Burchill RBI double. The Panthers 5-0 lead was in jeopardy in the top of the sixth. After a groundout, Owen Dye singled and Maddox Bell reached on an error. The play at first was very close on Bell’s grounder, but after a challenge from Leslie, the officials confirmed he was safe.

Shaffer responded with a strikeout, but after walking the next batter, the bases were loaded and the Sailors’ dugout was feeling the momentum. Leslie’s mound visit with Shaffer left no doubt in the head coach’s mind to stick with the junior.

“That inning, some unfortunate events happened. Maybe he was safe, maybe he was out at first base,” Leslie said. “I went out there and basically William said ‘I’m gonna show you that I want the ball right here’ and I turned around and walked right back.

“He threw a fantastic game and had all his pitches going. He was pounding the zone and making them feel uncomfortable.”

Catcher Reese Wilkinson dropped the third strike, but touched home plate for the final out of the frame. Yet again, Saegertown escaped trouble with no damage.

Reliever Blake Burchill retired the first three Sailors in the seventh to close the game for Saegertown.

Shaffer ended with six strikeouts, one walk and five hits in a six-inning shutout performance. Blake Leslie was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Blake Burchill had one double with Wyatt Burchill, Levi Gardner, Everett Gardner and Wilkinson adding one hit each.

Saegertown moved to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in region action. The Panthers haven’t lost since their opener against Hickory Grove Christian during the team’s spring trip.

“The season is going okay. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. We are playing for June, not the middle of April,” Leslie said. “That’s a really good team, Lakeview, and they’re gonna be out for blood. We’ll see them again, and there is a high likelihood we see them once again in District 10. The 2A in bracket in D10 right now, it’s going to be tough. Lakeview, Mercyhurst Prep, Greenville, all of them are really really good.”

The Panthers are scheduled to host Cochranton on Friday.

April 23, 2025

Baseball

Panthers roll Orioles

SAEGERTOWN — The Saegertown baseball team beat Rocky Grove 15-3 in a Region 3 contest on Tuesday in five innings.

Saegertown scored all 15 runs in the first two innings. Blake Burchill was 4-for-4 with two doubles. Wyatt Burchill and William Shaffer each had two hits.

Everett Gardner fanned four and allowed no earned runs.

Saegertown is 7-1 overall and 5-0 in region games. The Panthers are scheduled to host Lakeview today.

April 16, 2025

Baseball

Panthers blank Blue Devils

CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Saegertown defeated Cambridge Springs 15-0 in three innings in a Region 3 baseball game on Tuesday.

The Panthers earned 10 bases on balls and had six hits. DeMarcus Manning pitched a three inning no-hitter with four strikeouts on 31 pitches.

Saegertown is 6-1 overall and 5-0 in Region 3. The Panthers are scheduled to host General McLane today for a non-region game.

Cambridge Springs is scheduled to host Lakeview today. The Blue Devils are 0-2 in the region and 1-2 overall.

April 15, 2025

Baseball

Saegertown baseball blanks Jamestown 17-0

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

JAMESTOWN — Saegertown shutout Jamestown 17-0 in a Region 3 game at Jamestown High School on Monday.

Tyler Cherpak and William Shaffer combined for a three-inning shutout. Wyatt Burchill, Blake Leslie and William Shaffer each had multiple hits.

Saegertown is 4-1 overall and 3-0 in region action. The Panthers are scheduled to play at Cambridge Springs today

SAEGERTOWN - JAMESTOWN

Saegertown (17) (AB-R-H-BI) W. Burchill 4-3-3-1, Leslie 3-2-2-1, Crawford 1-0-0-2, B. Burchill 2-3-1-1, Shartle 1-0-1-0, Shaffer 2-2-2-2, Wilkinson 1-0-0-0, L. Gardner 3-2-1-2, Proper 1-0-0-0, Manning 1-2-1-1, Jordan 1-0-0-0, Cherpak 1-0-0-1, Wilkinson 1-2-1-1, E. Gardner 2-1-1-2. Totals 24-17-13-14. 

Jamestown (0) (AB-R-H-BI) Cole 1-0-1-0, Pressler 2-0-0-0, Herbold 2-0-0-0, Dell 1-0-0-0, Mayer 2-0-0-0, Janscar 0-0-0-0, Shaw 1-0-0-0, Cole 0-0-0-0, Groover 1-0-0-0. Totals 10-0-1-0. 

Saegertown 179 xxx x — 17 13 0 

Jamestown 000 xxx x — 0 1 6 

BATTING

2B: S — Shartle, Leslie, Manning, L. Gardner, W. Burchill, Shaffer.

PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO) 

S — Shaffer 1-0-0-0-0-1, Cherpak 2-1-0-0-2-3; 

J — Mayer 1.2-6-7-7-2-0, Dell 0.1-1-1-1-3-0, Herbold 0.1-6-9-2-2-0, Pressler 0.2-0-0-0-0-2.

April 5, 2025

Baseball

Home run derby

Hard-hitting Panthers hammer six home runs in 19-6 win over Tigers

By Alex Topor

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

RANDOLPH TOWNSHIP — Friday’s Region 3 matchup between Saegertown and Maplewood at Jake Boyle Memorial Field featured seven home runs and 25 total runs. Saegertown won the offensive showcase 19-6.

After two innings, it looked like the Panthers were in trouble.

Saegertown scored three runs to open the game, but Maplewood answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Kyle Jordan’s two-run homer and an RBI double from Gavin Reynolds evened the score.

Ace Chase Koelle struck out three in the second to keep the Panthers off the scoreboard. Maplewood responded with another three-run inning to take a 6-3 lead after two. Jordan hit a two-RBI double before a Koelle RBI single.

In the hole 6-3, Saegertown head coach Nick Leslie met with his Panthers before their next series of at-bats — and his message worked. Saegertown scored eight runs in the third inning and took a commanding 11-6 lead.

“As far as adversity, we pulled the guys in after the second inning and really kinda got their heads screwed on straight. Wyatt Burchill did a great job today hitting the baseball. Blake Burchill did a great job hitting the baseball,” Leslie said. “Up and down the lineup we were able to spray the baseball all around the yard and score a bunch of runs.”

The third was a nightmare scenario for Maplewood. After back-to-back errors, Levi Gardner hit an RBI single. Then, the Panthers walked two runs in and Everett Gardner had an RBI single to take a 7-6 lead. Wyatt Burchill kept momentum on their side with a two-run homer over the right field wall. Two batters later, Blake Burchill delivered a two-run homer of his own.

Blake and Wyatt Burchill, who are cousins, led the Panthers in their offensive explosion.

“There was a spark. After that third inning, there was a spark and everyone blew up,” Blake Burchill said. “Everyone was hitting the ball and elevating some out of the park.”

“In the third inning we started putting hits together. People were getting on base and getting home on passed balls,”

Wyatt Burchill said. “We just all started firing up and hitting the ball.”

Maplewood struggled offensively the rest of the way. Levi Gardner, in relief for Blake Burchill after the second inning, struck out six in four innings and allowed two hits.

“It’s funny how games go like that, especially against one of our top rivals. We all know how well they’ve done the last several years,” Maplewood head coach Ken Smock said. “I am proud of how we brought ourselves back from down 3-0, tied it, then up 6-3. Then it seemed like someone hit the light switch. Error here, error there, then it adds on and adds on and it’s a domino effect.”

The Panthers added four runs to its lead in the fifth and sixth innings, and four home runs.

Wyatt Burchill drilled a lead-off homer in the fifth. He did the exact same thing to open the sixth and finished with three homers on the day. Blake Burchill hit his second homer just two batters later. DeMarcus Manning added to the home run party with a tworun shot, which made it 19-6.

Saegertown was poised to keep adding to its lead, but left fielder PJ Hirosky made an electrifying catch in a full sprint in foul territory to get Maplewood out of the inning.

“It’s something we work on. We work on hitting nonstop,” Leslie said. “We have guys this year that did a nice job in the weight room and it shows. You have to be strong to play this game so when you are that’s some of the results you get.”

Saegertown had 13 hits, six home runs and one double. Wyatt Burchill, Blake Burchill, Blake Leslie and Manning each had multiple hits.

The Burchill cousins combined for five home runs, nine runs, six hits and seven RBIs. Despite playing baseball together for years, both agreed they haven’t had a day like today with both so dialed in.

“I was hitting the ball hard off the bat, but was getting top spinners,” Blake Burchill said. “Then I finally got one elevated and pulled it out. That one felt good. Next bat, I hit another one and hit it off the fence out there and I was really seeing the ball good.”

Defensively, the Panthers were solid behind Levi Gardner and kept the Tigers from getting easy bases.

“It’s an easy game to play when you have someone like Levi coming in, throwing strikes and with the defense behind him making plays,” Leslie said.

Saegertown moved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in region action. The Panthers are scheduled to play at North East today at

11 a.m.

Maplewood managed seven hits on the day. Jordan was 2-for-2.

The Tigers fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the region. Maplewood is scheduled to host Lakeview on Wednesday.

Smock wasn’t satisfied with his pitching staff, which combined to allow 13 hits and 10 walks.

“The game of baseball can turn on a dime against a good team. Our pitching was not there today. That’s been one of our strong suits here early this season,” Smock said. “We talked to the team and told them it’s a marathon. We have to regroup and get back to it. We will work on some things we didn’t accomplish today.

“We have to execute and hit our spots. Our breaking balls did not work at all today. They were sitting back and waiting on fastballs, and then the home runs came through”

April 4, 2025

Baseball

Area baseball dugouts return with high expectations

By Alex Topor

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

After a long and perilous winter, spring is sort of here. And with it, baseball season.

Crawford County’s baseball programs saw a lot of success last year. Two advanced to the state playoffs, numerous all-region selections return and one all-state player returns.

Meadville

The Meadville Bulldogs advanced to a PIAA sub-region game last season and finished 15-8. This year’s ‘Dogs return a lot of talent, though they graduated a couple all-region performers and team leaders.

Gone from the 2024 team are all-region players Brighton Anderson and Rocco Tartaglione.

“We did lose a lot of talent. But this junior class has been playing with a lot of the kids we lost since they’ve been young. I told them this is their time to step up,” Meadville head coach Tony Tartaglione said. “They need to step up and take a lead role. Hopefully they learned something and we can keep this thing going.”

Tartaglione will look to his only senior this year — Bradyn Miller — for leadership. Miller was an all-region catcher last year. He posted a .341 average with 28 hits, 18 RBIs and 10 doubles.

Miller and Henry DeSantis-Biggs will be leaned on for their offense. DeSantis-Biggs, a junior, posted 24 hits and 16 RBIs as a sophomore.

“We’re going to lean on AJ Feleppa with a permanent spot in the batting lineup this year. Some of the younger kids, Colin Reichel, a junior, had plenty of at-bats last year and proved he could hit,” Tartaglione said. “He had two hits against Shaprsville so I will look for him to help us at at the plate. One through nine, everyone needs to step up and do their part at the plate.”

Feleppa will be the ace on the mound again. The junior had a 2.07 ERA last year with 81 strikeouts, 14 walks and 21 earned runs in 71 innings. Rocco Woodrow will also be a starter after a 4.06 ERA as a sophomore.

“AJ is good at controlling his pitches and his pitch counts. He has to limit his walks so he can go deeper into games, which he’s been doing. Rocco Woodrow, he showed his

control and has pitched well too,” Tartaglione said. “Between those two as starters, then Jacoby (Thompson) on the mound in relief this year. Ian Miller, a sophomore, pitched a little last year as a freshman. It’ll be pitch-by-committee once starters are out of the game.”

Sophomore Max Carr could also see a lot of time on the mound.

Bradyn Miller will return as the catcher, with Ian Miller at shortstop. Aidan Kleist returns at third base, Reichel will play second and DeSantis- Biggs will play first. Woodrow and Thompson are starters in the outfield, but Tartaglione is still working through other outfielders to find a good fit.

“Our goal for the year is to get back to the playoffs, which I think we can do. Expectation-wise, I mean these kids can play,” Tartaglione said. “It’s about how they step up and react to they need to do it now. They can’t lean on older kids, because they’re the older kids now. It’s their time. Our goal is to get back to the playoffs and see what happens.”

Meadville and Warren are the only teams in Class 5A this season and will meet for the title game, unless a team opts out. The Bulldogs will play Fort LeBoeuf, General McLane, Cathedral Prep, Harbor Creek, Warren, Erie and McDowell in Region 6 competition.

Conneaut

Conneaut is in year three of the Adam Bronson era and the Eagles are two-for-two on postseason berths.

Last year, the Eagles finished 5-13 and earned the final playoff berth in Class 3A. Conneaut lost to Fairview 9-1 in the first round of the playoffs.

Gone is first-team all-region selection Greg Klink as well as Gavin White, now playing forAllegheny College. Returning is aceAlex Wilpula.

Wilpula was an all-region selection last year as a sophomore. He posted a 3.17 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 21 earned runs in 46.1 innings.

Bronson also expectsAshton Headley and Thad Bland to also see a lot of time on the mound this spring.

First-year staters that could see a lot of action are Bland and Owen Grafton.

“Owen Grafton will be a steady bat for us in the back half of our lineup as well as an everyday outfielder,” Bronson said. “Thad Bland will see significant time on the mound from the start of the season, and his bat will come into play later in the year as he continues to get acclimated to varsity level competition.”

Wilpula and Headley led the offense last year with averages of .328 and .319, respectively. Wilpula led in hits with 20 and had two home runs. Headley managed six doubles, 15 hits and 12 runs.

Conneaut is still in Class 3A, but is no longer in a Mercer County- heavy region. Instead, they will compete with Northwestern, Fairview, North East, Girard and Corry for the Region 5 title.

“The expectations for this season are to limit mental errors on defensive, mitigate strikeouts offensively and to challenge opposing hitters on the mound. The No. 1 goal this season is to compete to the best of our abilities and have a blast playing together as a team,” Bronson said. “If we’re able to blend our goals and expectations, it’ll be a successful season. We have a smaller team this year, however, it’s made up of great leaders and great kids.”

Saegertown

After back-to-back trips to the Class 1A state playoffs, including the semifinals last year, the Panthers are moving up to Class 2A. Despite the increase in competition, Saegertown returns nearly all its firepower from a year ago. Saegertown was 20-4-1 overall and lost to West Middlesex in the District 10 championship.

“We basically return our entire starting lineup from last year. We do have a couple of injuries that we are working through and hopefully those guys are able to get healthy,” head coach Nick Leslie said. “In the meantime, it’s all hands on deck and we are gonna have to lean on everyone to fill the voids. Guys have been receptive to learning new positions and getting comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Six all-region selections return in Wyatt Burchill, Gabe Jordan, Levi Gardner, Everett Gardner, Blake Burchill and DeMarcus Manning. Blake Burchill was an all-state selection as a freshman as an infielder.

“With returning so many guys from last year’s team, playing time for new guys is going to be hard to come by,” Leslie said. “Aaron Shartle and Tyler Cherpak have both shown in practice that they want to have an impact on this year’s team.”

On the mound, Blake Burchill and William Shaffer are the top two options, Leslie said. Blake Burchill posted a 1.43 ERA with 30 strikeouts, six walks and seven earned runs in 34 innings. Shaffer had 46 strikeouts, 16 walks and 11 earned runs in 40 innings for a 1.89 ERA.

Wyatt Burchill pitched 31 innings with 29 strikeouts and 10 earned runs. Also seeing time was Manning, Levi Gardner and Everett Gardner, all of whom Leslie expects to pitch significant innings, as well as Cherpak, a freshman.

Offensively, Blake Burchill, Manning, Levi Gardner, and Wyatt Burchill each had a batting average of .406 or better. Blake Burchill and Manning had 39 and 31 hits, respectively. Blake Burchill and Blake Leslie led in RBIs with 35 and 31, respectively. Blake Burchill also posted 12 doubles, three triples and two home runs. Eight players had 18 or more hits on the year and eight players had 21 or more runs.

“The expectations and goals are the same every year, getting 1 percent better every time we are on a field, batting cage or weight room. It’s a compounding effect,” Leslie said. “We take all those 1 percents and keep adding them up through the season. We want to be playing our best baseball at playoff time.”

Cochranton

Cochranton finished the 2024 season 7-12 and lost in the first round of the District 10 playoffs, but return West Virginia commit Walker Carroll.

“The expectations for the season are to get better each day and try to be the best versions of ourselves,” head coach Jarod Morrison said. “I expect us to compete and get better as the season progresses. We need to limit our mistakes this year and work towards putting together well-rounded efforts each time we step on the field.”

Carroll only pitched 10 innings last season due to a shoulder injury, but will be the ace on the mound this year, Morrison said. Morrison also expects Andrew Albert, Brayden Burnette and Coleton Mattocks to see time on the mound with Ben Field, Tim Deeter and Shawn Anderson in the bullpen. “We have confidence in all of these guys and expect all of them to

take strides this year on the mound,” Morrison said.

Albert struck out 35 and walked 11 with 14 earned runs last year. Burnette allowed two earned runs in 15 innings.

Carroll led the offense with a .415 average. Burnette and Field were each over .350. Burnette had 20 hits last season with 10 RBIs and four doubles. Carroll and Mattocks scored 15 and 11 runs, respectively.

Cochranton is in Class 1A and will compete for a Region 3 title with Jamestown, Rocky Grove, Cambridge Springs, Lakeview, Saegertown and Maplewood.

“As a team we want to be aggressive at the plate, on the bases, and attack the strike zone on the mound. I want our players to compete, play with an edge, and play the game the right way,” Morrison said. “If we focus on the little things and limiting our own mistakes, then we have a chance to compete every time we step on the field. I expect the cardinals to play hard, have fun, and show good sportsmanship throughout the season.”

Cambridge Springs

After winning a district playoff game in 2024 and ending the season 9-10 overall, the Cambridge Springs Blue Devils return a couple all-region selections, but lost several as well.

Gone from last year’s team is all-region selection Owen Riley, as well as Josh Gorton and Preston Gorton, who were No. 1 and No. 4 on the team in hits.

“We have a young team. We’re taking in one practice at a time, one game at a time,” head coach Andrew Brown said. “The goal right now is to improve week-to-week and gel as a team heading into the season. I’ve seen a lot of growth so far, so we’re excited.”

Sophomore Matthew Ross had a batting average of .333 with 19 hits and 16 RBIs as a freshman. Ross, as well as Brett Kania, Quinn Simmerman, Alex Doubet and Matthew Seldon will be leaned on this season, Brown said.

Kania had a .500 average with 17 hits and 10 RBIs in 12 games played. Kania also posted 30 strikeouts and six earned runs across 22 innings as a sophomore. Fellow junior Quinn Simmerman will join Kania on the mound. Simmerman had 23 strikeouts and 23 earned runs in 27 innings last season.

Seldon, a freshman, could also see time on the mound this spring.

The Blue Devils will play Cochranton, Jamestown, Rocky Grove, Saegertown, Maplewood and Lakeview in Region 3 competition.

Maplewood

The Maplewood baseball program finished 2024 12-2 in region play and 12-8 overall. The Tigers return nearly its entire roster from last year and head coach Ken Smock aims to build on the promise of last year, this spring.

”We want to build from last season and stay consistent with what we accomplished last year,” Smock said. “We have everyone back with the exception of Jacob Woge and Elliot Beuchat. Everyone else is back. We want to build on what we did last year and keep the program running in the right direction.”

Sophomores Kyle Jordan and Chase Koelle led the Tigers in innings pitched as freshmen last year. Koelle struck out 49 and allowed 13 earned runs, while Jordan struck out 28 and allowed 11 earned runs. Senior Landyn Reynolds had the best ERA at 2.43 and had eight earned runs in 23 innings pitched. Levi Willison, AJ Proper and freshman Gavin Reynolds could also see time on the mound.

“Chase and Kyle both pitched some innings last year and are doing really well. We expect a lot out of Chase this year as well as our seniors Landyn and Levi. Our pitching staff mainly is Landyn, Chase, Kyle and AJ and Levi at times will start too especially with how Northwest Pennsylvania weather is,” Smock said. “We are still working on rotations and getting into the heat of things. It’s too early to tell exactly what our rotations will be.”

Landyn Reynolds was Maplewood’s best bat last year with a .403 average. He had 25 hits, 24 runs and 18 RBIs, all of which led the team.

“Landyn was our go to guy offensively with our highest batting average. He is Mr. Consistent for us,” Smock said. “He dedicates himself and works hard at it. I expect even more consistency this year.”

Koelle and Jordan were second and third with averages of .333 and .327. Koelle had 16 hits and 13 RBIs, Jordan had 18 hits and 11 RBIs. Jordan had the team’s lone home run on the season.

“Our goal is to continue to build on what we did last year as a staff. We want to be more consistent at the plate and take what the pitcher gives us. We fought hard last year and tied for second in our region at 12-4, but overall 12-8,” Smock said. “We picked up some good freshmen and have a more experienced staff. We have a hard region this year. We’ve been double A for awhile now, just on that threshold with numbers. Now we have Lakeview who is a powerhouse and Jamestown. Saegertown is a powerhouse too.

“We want to be consistent and play with them and compete. We feel we have the team to do that.”

April 2, 2025

Baseball

Saegertown earns shutout vs. Cochranton

MEADVILLE TRIBUNE

COCHRANTON — Saegertown beat Cochranton 10-0 in a Region 3 baseball contest at Cochranton High School on Tuesday.

Saegertown had 13 hits to Cochranton’s one and had no errors. Blake Leslie was 4-for-4 with a double and two runs. Everett Gardner had two hits and Wyatt Burchill scored two runs.

On the mound, William Shaffer struck out six and allowed one hit in his shutout performance.

Cochranton’s Trent Hoban had the Cardinals’ hit. Walker Carroll fanned six and allowed three earned runs in five innings of work.

Saegertown is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in region play. The Panthers are scheduled to play at Maplewood today.

Cochranton is 0-3 overall and 0-1 in region action. The Cards are scheduled to host Rocky Grove on Wednesday.

SAEGERTOWN - COCHRANTON

Saegertown (10) (AB-R-H-BI) L. Gardner 4-1-1-1, Leslie 4-2-4-0, B. Burchill 4-1-1-2, Shaffer 3-0-1-2, Manning 4-1-1-0, W. Burchill 2-2-1-1, Jordan 3-1-1-1, Wilkinson 3-1-1-2, E. Gardner 3-1-2-1. Totals 30-10-13-10. 

Cochranton (0) (AB-R-H-BI) Hoban 2-0-1-0, Carroll 1-0-0-0, Burnette 2-0-0-0, Mattocks 2-0-0-0, Field 2-0-0-0, Deeter 2-0-0-0, Albert 1-0-0-0, Goodge 2-0-0-0, Nageotte 2-0-0-0. Totals 18-4-3-2. 

Saegertown 020 116 x — 10 13 0 

Cochranton 000 000 x — 0 1 1 

BATTING

2B: S — Leslie, Gardner, Wilkinson.

PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO) S — Shaffer 5.2.1-0-0-2-6; C — Carroll 5-7-4-3-2-6, Nageotte 1-6-6-6-1-0.