BUTLER TWP — This was supposed to be the breakout season for Shawn Marcellus — in two sports.

A blown-out knee blew up all of that.

Marcellus, a Butler High School senior, was carrying a 223 average for the Golden Tornado boys bowling team when he suffered a freakish injury playing volleyball in gym class.

“I leaped up for the ball and just landed awkwardly,” he said. “I completely tore the ACL and MCL in my left knee.”

Having already accepted a baseball scholarship to Wheeling Jesuit University, Marcellus was ready for his first varsity season with the Butler baseball team this spring.

That is now gone.

“I stayed down at junior varsity last year so I could play a lot more,” Marcellus said. “And I've done a lot of pitching with my summer (All-American Baseball) team.”

Marcellus pitched a complete game against Central Catholic last spring at the JV level, throwing 128 pitches and allowing only two runs. After an 0-for-14 start at the plate, he rebounded to hit .315.

Ironically, he could still bowl after the knee injury.

“My ligaments were completely torn, so I felt no pain at all,” Marcellus said. “I wanted to make my scores count because I knew I wasn't gonna be around for the second half of the season.”

Marcellus had his knee surgery in January so he could be ready for baseball later this summer.

“Shawn was more focused this season than I'd ever seen him,” Butler bowling coach Bob Cupp said. “I know his big sport is baseball, but he was planning on making his senior bowling season at Butler really count.

“He had such a determined attitude this year, working on his spares, making adjustments ... I think his year was going to be off the charts.”

Marcellus led the section in average at the time his season ended. He held the anchor position in the Tornado's bowling lineup.

As it was, Butler finished third in the WPIBL team tournament without him.

“But with Shawn at anchor, everyone else was comfortable in their respective positions,” Cupp said. “We were such a stronger team with him.

“Do we win it if he doesn't get hurt? I guess we'll never know.”

Marcellus figures to be cleared to pitch again by late June or early July.

“My physical therapy is going ahead of schedule,” he said. “The doctor said once my left leg gets to be 90 percent as strong as my right leg, I'll be good to go.

“I just want to get 10 innings or so in before fall baseball, so I won't be going into college without having done any live pitching all year.”

Marcellus plans to pitch in the local Quad County League once his knee is healed.

Dan Abbenante, a former teammate of Butler varsity baseball coach Cody Herald when both played for Seton Hill University, was Marcellus' summer baseball coach. He is also in his first year as baseball coach at Wheeling Jesuit.

Fellow Buitler seniors Ryan Linn and Nash Bryan — summer teammates of Marcellus — are headed to Wheeling Jesuit to play baseball as well.

“I'm not concerned about Shawn's knee at all,” Abbenante said. “He's a pitcher, so he won't have to make any strong cuts on it. And I know how hard he's been working at rehabbing it.

“I love that kid. He's not flashy. He doesn't throw real hard, maybe between 82 and 85 (miles per hour). But he's efficient and he gets guys out.”

Abbenante said Marcellus faced hitters last summer headed to Arizona and UCLA, respectively, “and retired both of them.

“He gets a lot of ground ball outs,” the coach added. “Shawn is the type of guy who gets overlooked a lot because he's not a speed pitcher. But he has confidence in being himself and that's the type of kid you want when you're building a program.”

Abbenante takes over a Wheeling Jesuit program this year that finished 7-35 last season. The squad is off to a 1-2 start under Abbenante.

“I'm looking forward to showing what I can do there,” Marcellus said.

Carrying a 3.9 grade point average, Marcellus plans to major in biology and eventually get into medical school. He hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon.