2026 PIAA baseball championship live updates: Neshaminy beats Butler to win 6A title
That’s it. Butler (23-4) took on Neshaminy (21-7) looking to win its first PIAA baseball championship in program history — in its first appearance — at Penn State’s Medlar Field.
The Golden Tornado fell short, 7-3, in the Class 6A championship game.
Butler Eagle sports reporters Derek Pyda and Brendan Howe (Twitter: @bybrendanhowe) are in State College, along with photographer Justin Guido, and will have updates here throughout the state final. Refresh this page for the latest highlights and analysis.
Livestream: The state championship will be broadcast and livestreamed on PCN. A digital subscription costs $14.99 for one month.
Tickets: They can be purchased for $9 in advance on hometownticketing.com and for $10 at the door
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Kyle Casteel quiets Mifflin County as Butler advances to Class 6A quarterfinals
Butler wins first WPIAL championship in program history over North Allegheny
Butler Eagle reporters are at Penn State’s Medlar Field. Refresh this page throughout the game for the latest updates, highlights and analysis.
10:20 p.m. Butler strands two runners. That’s the game. Neshaminy beats Butler 7-3 for PIAA 6A championship.
10:13 p.m. Butler not going down without a fight. Nash Cuffman triples to lead off 7th.
Mavrik Clement singles him in. Best hit by pitch. Tornado trail 7-3, one out top 7.
10:07 p.m. Stefaniak over 100 pitches, leaves game and is relieved by Trent Best. Skins score two in inning, lead 7-2 after 6 innings.
Butler’s last chance coming up. Top of seventh
9:48 p.m. Stefaniak leads off 6th with double, Butler’s first hit of game. Ryan Rattigan follows with one-out single, driving in Stefaniak. Butler cuts deficit to 5-2 entering bottom 6.
9:45 p.m. Skins break game open with three runs in 5th.
After 5 -- Neshaminy 5, Butler 1
9:34 p.m. Skins break the deadlock, Marable’s single scores Welsh, who had singled himself and advanced on error. Skins lead 2-1 and still batting bottom 5.
9:23 p.m. Tornado fail to score. Trent Best strikes out and Mavrik Clement picked off of first. Runner stranded at second, may have been a botched double-steal attempt.
Entering bottom 5, tied 1-1
9:18 p.m. Bonner pulled after issuing his sixth walk of the game. Did not allow a hit in 4.1 innings.
Matt Gryn takes over on mound. Butler and Neshaminy tied 1-1 top of 5th. Tornado have runners at first and second, one out.
9:09 p.m. Stefaniak gets out of it unscathed. Great defensive play by first baseman Ryan Rattigan to get Lall out trying to score.
After 4 -- Butler 1, Neshaminy 1
Stefaniak forces a huge ground ball, which Ryan Rattigan fields, fires home and prevents a go-ahead run. Stefaniak gets a ground out to end the inning shortly after.
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) June 12, 2026
Top of the fifth: Butler 1, Neshaminy 1 pic.twitter.com/5VaYcVhBpZ
9:06 p.m. Stefaniak in a jam. Butler’s 3rd error has runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out.
9:01 p.m. Brandon Lall leads off 4th with single, Skins’ first hit of game.
8:59 p.m. Tornado set down in order.
Entering bottom 4, tied 1-1
8:53 p.m. Stefaniak strands Skins at first and third. Neither team has a hit.
After 3 -- Butler 1, Neshaminy 1
8:42 p.m. Bonner back on track for Neshaminy. Works a scoreless Top 3rd.
Game tied 1-1
8:33 p.m. Butler’s Stefaniak works a flawless 2nd inning.
After 2 -- Butler 1, Neshaminy 1
8:27 p.m. Butler’s Ryan Rattigan, Karsten Lenyk, Jake Szebalskie and Nash Cuffman draw four straight walks to tie game, 1-1. Butler still batting, Top 2
Nash Cuffman works a bases-loaded walk, plating Ryan Rattigan. Boden Lenyk flied out right after to end the half-inning.
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) June 12, 2026
Bottom of the second; Butler 1, Neshaminy 1 pic.twitter.com/8sZYSIr22S
8:07 p.m. Skins score an unearned run without the benefit of a hit.
After 1 -- Neshaminy 1, Butler 0
7:58 p.m. Bonner with 1-2-3 inning with two Ks. Skins coming to bat bottom 1st.
Butler’s three-hole hitter, Trent Best, thought this was Ball 4. Umpire didn’t agree.
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) June 11, 2026
Headed to the bottom first: Butler 0, Neshaminy 0 pic.twitter.com/SNBnlsfoj0
7:52 p.m. Finally underway. Butler’s Boden Lenyk at the plate facing Neshaminy’s Chase Bonner.
7:25 p.m.: Per Butler athletic director Bill Mylan, the game’s first pitch will be at 7:55 p.m.
7:14 p.m.: Staff are preparing to peel the tarp off the infield. Per Mylan, the game will start in half an hour, so approximately 7:44 p.m. Fans are trickling back into their seats. - BH
7:08 p.m.: Butler’s players are returning to their dugout. The tarp is still on. - BH
6:40 p.m.: According to Butler Radio, it is projecting a possible 7:30-8 p.m. start for this game. Tarps are still on the field. So it will take time to clear the field, probably give both teams a little bit of warmup before first pitch. - JMA
5:56 p.m.: Rain has arrived and it’s coming down in buckets. Gusty winds, too. - DP
5:33 p.m.: Storms have not hit yet, but field is being covered with tarp. No way the rain avoids Penn State campus. - DP
5:19 p.m.: Lineups will be announced, then national anthem, followed by a 15-minute break to check the weather situation. Storms rolling in. -- DP
5:01 p.m.: Butler’s starting lineup:
B.Lenyk, SS
Clement, C
Best, RF
Stefaniak, P
Scott, 3B
Rattigan, 1B
K.Lenyk, CF
Szebalskie, 2B
Cuffman, LF
Neshaminy’s starting lineup:
M.Sassano, 2B
Marable, RF
Bonner, P
Lall, 3B
Wallace, 1B
Gryn, LF
Hitchen, C
N.Sassano, CF
Cloud, SS
– DP
4:21 p.m.: Butler vs. Neshaminy Class 6A baseball state championship game, originally scheduled for 4:30, will start late. Indiana just defeated Holy Ghost Prep for 4A title. First pitch set for 5:30. - DP
