Butler’s Stefaniak shuts down Dragons in 5-0 win
BUTLER TWP — A perfect week was just what the doctor ordered for Butler’s baseball team and Nolan Stefaniak capped it in style.
The sophomore pitcher allowed just a pair of hits and shut out visiting Allderdice over 6 2/3 innings in the Golden Tornado’s 5-0 victory Thursday night.
“Nolan went out tonight and fed his defense,” said Butler coach Josh Forbes. “In his start last week (in a loss to Shaler), he was sporadic, but tonight, even his misses were competitive. They weren’t far off the plate.”
Butler (6-8, 4-5) had dropped six straight games entering the week, but swept the three-game series with Allderdice and is assured of a WPIAL playoff spot.
“Losing stinks,” said Stefaniak, who struck out eight and walked two. “All the guys have been working hard to play winning baseball and it feels good to get it done on the field.”
Stefaniak denied the Dragons (1-13, 0-12) an early chance to score when he caught Niv Friedman looking at a called third strike in the top of the second, stranding a runner at third base in the process.
Butler then produced all the offense it would need in the game in the bottom of the inning. Trent Best drew a walk to lead off the inning, stole second and moved to third base when Regan Peth reached on an error. Stefaniak singled in Best and Peth scored on a wild pitch.
Through four innings, Allderdice starter Zack Shook had surrendered just the two runs (one earned) on three hits, but ran into trouble in the fifth. He hit Stefaniak with a pitch to begin the inning and Noah Kollinger followed with a single. Noah Collins reached on another miscue in the field, allowing courtesy runner Alex Catalfano to score. Two batters later, Carson Bish singled through a drawn-in infield to plate two more runs.
Shook finished the inning, but was relieved by Brendan Stecik at the start of Butler’s half of the sixth. The former struck out five and walked three.
“Zach pitched well and kept us in the game, but unfortunately, we ran into a pitcher who was better,” said Dragons coach Brad Hoffer. “He (Stefaniak) kept us guessing.”
Stefaniak said his whole arsenal of pitches was at his disposal.
“Curveball, change-up, fastball ... everything was working for me and I was able to put the ball pretty much where I wanted it,” he said.
His bid for a complete game ended when he walked Nadav Gil with two outs in the seventh. He reached 100 pitches in the game during the at-bat, forcing his departure from the mound. Tanner Pry, a left-hander, came on to close out the Dragons.
The Golden Tornado have one three-game section series remaining — against Seneca Valley — which begins Monday on the road.
“It gives us more opportunities to face (Class) 6A competition to get ready for the playoffs,” Forbes said. “It’s basically for seeding. Anything can happen if you get in and we’re in.”
Allderdice 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Butler 020 030 x — 5 5 1
W: Nolan Stefaniak 6.2 IP (8K, 2BB). L: Zack Shook 5 IP (5K, 3BB)
Allderdice: Lukas Stead 1B, Brendan Stecik 1B
Butler: Noah Kollinger 1B R, Noah Collins 1B R, Carson Bish 2-1B 2RBI, Nolan Stefaniak 1B RBI
Monday: Butler at Seneca Valley
