JV pitcher Rebholz comes on in relief, defeats Butler in varsity debut
Ryan Rebholz’s phone rang Tuesday morning.
The Seneca Valley sophomore pitcher made his varsity debut on the mound Tuesday night, striking out five in the final three innings and getting the win as the Raiders defeated Butler, 4-2, at Pullman Park.
“We were short on pitching and Aiden (SV starting pitcher Fowler) wasn’t feeling well,” SV coach Eric Semega said. “I called Ryan and asked him if he’d be willing to make the trip up here with us, that we might need a little help.
“He did a tremendous job.”
Fowler wasn’t bad, either. He started on the mound and threw only 43 pitches in four innings for the Raiders (9-7-1, 6-5). He retired the first nine batters he faced before the Butler bats got to him in the fourth.
The Golden Tornado (6-10, 4-7) trailed, 2-0, when Noah Kollinger opened the fourth with a line single to center. Boden Lenyk doubled over the center fielder’s head. Kollinger scored on a Noah Collins ground out to first. Mavrik Clement delivered a two-out RBI single to left to knot the game. Courtesy runner Alex Catalfano was caught stealing to end the inning.
Exit Fowler. Enter Rebholz.
“Aiden gave us all he had. I give him credit for even going out there tonight,” Semega said.
“I was a little nervous when I went in, but I knew I’d be pitching tonight or Thursday,” Rebholz said. “I was hoping it’d be tonight because I was anxious. This was my first varsity game.
“Once I got into the flow of things, I was fine.”
Seneca Valley managed only two hits Tuesday and has six hits in the first two games of this three-game series. But Golden Tornado starter Kyle Casteel walked the bases loaded to begin the second. Fowler got an RBI when he grounded into a force play and a second run crossed the plate when a pitch got away.
Seneca Valley pitching has walked one batter in the first two games of this series. Butler (6-10, 4-7) pitchers have walked 11 and hit six other,.
“That’s been the difference,” Butler coach Josh Forbes said. “Three of their four runs tonight were free runners. When you keep handing the other team base runners, eventually they’re going to break through and score.
“That’s been our big issue all year.”
Casteel did not allow a hit until the sixth inning. After Owen Malak was hit by a pitch to start the frame, Nick Parrotto singled sharply to center. Rebholz laid down a sacrifice bunt and the ball was thrown away, allowing Malak to score the go-ahead run. Parrotto scored later in the inning.
Rebholz allowed two hits. Regan Peth doubled to left with two outs in the Butler fifth, but was stranded. Lenyk singled and Collins walked with one out in the Tornado sixth. Trent Best then hit a shallow fly ball that dropped in front of left fielder Aidan Leiendecker, who was able to grab the ball and fire to third to force out Lenyk as the Raiders escaped any damage.
“That’s a tough read,” Forbes said of whether the fly ball would be caught. “Not much we could do there.”
Rebholz struck out the first two Butler hitters in the seventh before inducing Peth to fly out to right to end the game.
“My adrenaline carried me through this,” Rebholz said. “When that ball was caught ... It was like a shot of happiness went through my body.”
Seneca Valley 020 002 0 — 4 2 0
Butler 000 200 0 — 2 5 1
WP: Ryan Rebholz 3IP (5so, 1bb). LP: Kyle Casteel 5IP (5so, 6bb).
Seneca Valley (9-7-1, 6-5): Nick Parrotto 1B, Mike Delduca 1B, Aiden Fowler RBI.
Butler (6-10, 4-7): Noah Kollinger 1B, Boden Lenyk 2B 1B, Mavrik Clement 1B RBI, Regan Peth 2B, Noah Collins RBI.
Thursday: Butler at Seneca Valley, 4 p.m.
