Butler baseball’s journey to PIAA Class 6A final started 3 years ago with failure
BOGGS TWP, Centre County — While far from a direct path, the road to Butler’s upcoming trip to Penn State University began at Upper St. Clair’s Boyce Mayview Park three years ago.
The Golden Tornado had an ordinary 2023 regular season — going 13-9-1 — and were seeded sixth in the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs. But featuring a roster spotted with collegiate talent, Josh Forbes’ cast had their sights set on a district title.
It wasn’t to be.
A step away from reaching the district championship game, Butler senior pitcher Colin Casteel conceded just three hits in six innings, but the Golden Tornado were sent home after bowing to No. 2 North Allegheny 5-2.
This season, with Casteel’s younger brother, Kyle, operating as one half of a lights-out senior pitching tandem, Butler has lived up to every expectation. After downing North Allegheny for its first-ever WPIAL title last month, the Golden Tornado (23-3) have surged to Thursday’s PIAA Class 6A final against District 1 fourth-place finisher Neshaminy (20-7). First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
“They saw the failure of the senior class that had six college commits,” Forbes said after Monday’s 4-2 state semifinal win over Owen J. Roberts at Bald Eagle Area High School. “And they saw that failure in the WPIAL semifinals. And they saw the heartbreak, and they saw what it actually meant to those guys on a daily basis. Because, once you go to college, nothing is guaranteed. It’s really, really hard.
“So these could be some of the best times of your life playing baseball, and they’re really just making the most of it.”
The elder Casteel graduated from Butler in 2023 and pitched for two seasons at Youngstown State before walking away from the sport, though still a student there. Colin attended the Golden Tornado’s 10-0, run-rule senior night win over Indiana, their 10th of 16 consecutive triumphs.
(Indiana will also play for a state title Thursday.)
“I feel like everything happens for a reason, and us coming short and failing throughout my high school career, it kinda just prepared the younger group behind us,” Colin said.
Kyle, a West Virginia commit, sat the bench as a freshman. He was just as downtrodden after his older brother’s high school career-ending loss, a memory that’s stuck with him.
“To leave a legacy here at Butler is the ultimate goal,” Kyle said. “Because whenever I was a (freshman), I was sitting on the field that my brother played his last game (on), and it broke my heart to watch all these people that I grew up wanting to be like ... (lose) their playoff game.
“I don’t want that to happen.”
Forbes has been astonished by his team’s senior leadership, which along with Kyle and the other heralded hurler, Penn State commit Nolan Stefaniak, is spearheaded by Boden Lenyk and Mavrik Clement, respectively the Golden Tornado’s shortstop/lead-off hitter and catcher.
“It feeds off onto everybody else,” Forbes said. “There’s obviously vocal leaders and there’s lead-by-examples. These guys show up every single day, prepare like they are going to be champions — and that’s where it starts.”
Colin is interning for the summer as an environmental engineer in Cleveland, which will prevent him from being in the crowd at the Nittany Lions’ Medlar Field, but with friends and family there, he’ll “be completely up to date with what’s going on,” he said.
“I don’t wish that I could’ve changed anything,” Colin said. “I’m even happier now. I get more joy watching my brother accomplish everything that he can. It just makes me super proud to be able to say that he’s my brother.”
