34 years since Butler’s only other PIAA tournament appearance, this year’s Tornado have similar ‘big family’ feel
BUTLER TWP — Butler baseball is entering the state championship game for the first time in program history.
The 1992 Golden Tornado team — the only team before this year to make a PIAA tournament — fell one step short of getting there.
“Togetherness was the key for us,” then-head baseball coach Ron Zawrotuk said of the 1992 squad. “That was all a big family that just enjoyed playing the game and playing it hard.”
And the current edition of Butler baseball — which plays Neshaminy at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Penn State’s Medlar Field for the PIAA Class 6A crown — is following that same “family” recipe from 1992 to try to complete a journey no team before it has.
“There’s definitely a feeling of connection there,” current Tornado pitching coach and 1992 third baseman Matt Clement said of the two teams. “The makeup of the teams is very similar.”
Tom and Tim Bouch were the standout pitchers in 1992. Tom was a slugging first baseman, as well. Tim went on to play college ball at James Madison while Tom played at Kent State. Clement, of course, was drafted in 1993 and became an All-Star MLB pitcher. Center fielder Rick Schnur went to Indiana (Pa.) University, shortstop Matt Schultz to Edinboro.
“There were so many guys, and we could hit the ball,” Clement said. “Everybody pitched in. Everyone on that team could play. Tom was a big, strong left-hander. He was our dude, for sure.”
“I was known as ‘the other Bouch,’” Tim said, laughing. “Tom was our horse.”
Jason Kelly was the catcher. Earl Collins played left field, while a number of players — Bo Smith, Darren Secich, Matt Reblewski and Brian Ward among them — played right. Chris Solari and designated hitter Mark Deep were other contributors.
“We couldn’t wait to get to the field,” Tim Bouch said. “I looked forward to seeing everybody there. It was fun. Even the practices were fun.”
Some of that sounds similar to the 2026 edition.
This year’s Tornado are also led by two stud pitchers — Division I recruits and potential 2026 MLB Draft picks Nolan Stefaniak, who will start Thursday’s final, and Kyle Casteel. Catcher Mavrik Clement, Matt’s son, is a University of Pittsburgh commit. Trent Best, Boden Lenyk and others make up a dangerous lineup.
Kris Paserba, Butler’s second baseman in 1992, lives in the same neighborhood as the Casteel family.
“I’m excited for those kids and what they’re experiencing right now,” Paserba said. “I’m in my 50s now, and that WPIAL loss still hurts, that PIAA semifinal loss still hurts.”
There are also differences.
This year’s squad has won section and district championships already, and the PIAA final appearance is a first for the program.
Butler lost the 1992 WPIAL Class 4A title game 7-2 to Upper St. Clair. The Tornado’s season ended at 18-6 with an 8-1 loss to DuBois in the state semifinals.
Tom Bouch struck out 10 and allowed only two earned runs in the loss to DuBois.
“Those were the two worst games we played all year,” Paserba said. “That’s what makes winning the (state) championship in baseball so tough. You have to almost be perfect. Get the clutch hits, the great pitching, big defensive plays in every game. Those kids are doing it right now.”
But the biggest difference between the teams may have been expectations.
While this year’s Butler team was expected to be a strong WPIAL contender, the 1992 unit returned only three senior starters: Paserba, Schultz and Tom Bouch.
Coaches Zawrotuk and Mickey Uram “were telling people we were in for a rebuilding year,” Paserba said.
Butler finished second in the section in 1992. Eventual major leaguer Sean Casey was the standout player for the Upper St. Clair team that topped the Tornado in the WPIAL final. Jim Pittsley, who became a first-round selection in the 1992 MLB Draft, silenced Butler on four hits in the state semifinal.
Upper St. Clair won the Class 5A district title this season — its first WPIAL championship since that 1992 campaign.
“That’s how hard it is to do this,” Clement said.
Zawrotuk said team success can never be taken away from the players.
“That lasts a lifetime,” Zawrotuk said. “You take pictures, but the kids make the memories. I miss the kids. You spend so much time with them. ... What they give to you, what you give to them, it becomes a family.
“You become close. You remember that group for a lifetime. That’s what these (2026) kids are going through right now.”
Butler has already won the section and WPIAL Class 6A championships this season. This year’s team is trying to finish what the 1992 started.
“What they’re trying to pull off right now is so special,” Tim Bouch said. “I’d love to be on the field experiencing that with them right now.”
