PIAA Baseball Playoffs

Semifinal Preview Capsules

Class A

5-1 Southern Fulton (23-1) vs. 11-1 Nativity (12-11)

When: Monday, 3 p.m.

Where: Spring Grove High School (1480 Roth Church Road, Spring Garden, PA, 17362)

Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. No senior citizen discount.

Up Next: Winner faces either 9-2 Clarion (16-6) 0r 7-3 Eden Christian (18-5) in Thursday’s state championship game 10:30 a.m. at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park (Penn State).

About Nativity

Nickname: Hilltoppers

Head coach: Ben Kreiger

How they got here: District 11 champion edged District 2 winner MMI Prep 3-1 in Thursday’s quarterfinal game.

Key players: CF/P Stephen Karinch, soph. (.424 AVG, .565 OBP, 25 H, 26 R, 13 SB; pitching — 1.15 ERA); P/SS Nick Wagner, sr. (.328 AVG, .466 OBP, 19 H, 12 R, 9 RBIs, 10 SB; pitching — 4.42 ERA); P/OF Ryan Examitas, soph. (.361 AVG, .432 OBP, 22 H, 8 R, 21 RBIs); 1B Andrew Verchick, sr. (.259 AVG, .439 SLG, 14 H, 8 R, 12 RBIs, 1 HR); OF/DH Zeno Rugh, sr. (.298 AVG, .365 OBP, 17 H, 3 R, 15 RBIs, 2 2B); IF/P Ryan Grabowski, jr. (.400 AVG, .518 OBP, 18 H, 13 R, 15 RBIs); C Tommy Bartashus, soph. (.298 AVG, .365 OBP, 17 H, 3 R, 15 RBIs)

Fun Facts: Under coach Kreiger (2nd season), the Hilltoppers clinched consecutive District 11 Class A championships in 2024 and 2025. Despite significant graduation losses, Kreiger’s staff maintained the program’s high level of postseason success. Nativity played its first-ever PIAA baseball game a season ago, falling 1-0 to 2024 Class A champion Faith Christian in the first round. This season, the Hilltoppers have pushed the bar even higher with back-to-back PIAA playoffs wins and are one win away from competing in their first state title game. 

About Southern Fulton

Nickname: Indians

Head coach: Kent Hendershot

How they got here: District 5 champion shut out District 4 winner Cowanesque Valley 5-0 in Thursday’s quarterfinal game.

Key players: P/INF Owen Oakman, jr. (.353 AVG, .433 OBP, 18 H, 17 RBIs; pitching — 0.14 ERA, 10-0, 38.2 IP, 46 K); P/INF Brooks Norris, jr. (.327 AVG, .485 OBP, 16 H, 12 RBIs; pitching — 3.00 ERA, 43 K, 37.1 IP); C/P Blake Shipley, soph. (.435 AVG, 30 H, 26 R, 22 RBIs); 1B/P Paul Hendershot, jr. (.456 AVG, .549 OBP, 26 H, 20 RBIs, 3 HR; pitching — 2.80 ERA, 24 K); 3B/P Jett Burger, sr. (.479 AVG, .630 SLG, 35 H, 29 RBIs, 2 HR); C Austin Mann, jr. (.322 AVG, .384 OBP, 19 H, 21 RBIs)

Fun Facts: Southern Fulton (23-1) has outscored opponents 234-58 this season and hasn’t allowed more than four runs in a game since early April. The Indians have reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2013. Senior slugger Jett Burger leads the team in home runs, while Blake Shipley and Brooks Norris have dominated the top of the lineup. Head coach Kent Hendershot has guided the program to multiple District 5 titles and has transformed the Indians into a small-school baseball powerhouse from Warfordsburg.

Game Notes / Breakdown

A matchup featuring two teams riding deep postseason momentum — one built on dominant pitching and small-ball execution, the other on relentless offense and defensive discipline. Nativity has leaned heavily on its pitching depth throughout the playoffs, holding both Greenwood and MMI Prep to a single run each behind sophomore arms Stephen Karinch and Ryan Examitis. The Hilltoppers are a fundamentally sound unit that thrives on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning, especially from the top of the order. Sophomore catcher Tommy Bartashus and junior infielder Ryan Grabowski give the middle of the lineup dependable contact bats, while Karinch has emerged as a breakout star on both sides of the ball.  Southern Fulton, meanwhile, has overwhelmed opponents with elite run prevention and a lineup that can beat you from any spot. The Indians have allowed just one earned run in their last five games and are anchored by junior right-hander Owen Oakman, who boasts a 0.14 ERA and 10-0 record this season. Offensively, the trio of Blake Shipley, Jett Burger and Paul Hendershot has combined for more than 80 hits and nearly 75 RBIs. Southern Fulton hasn’t allowed more than four runs in a game since early April and has won 15 straight. Both programs are in uncharted territory: Nativity is making its first-ever state semifinal appearance, while Southern Fulton returns to the state semis for the first time since 2013. Expect a contrast of styles — Nativity’s scrappy and opportunistic approach versus Southern Fulton’s top-end firepower and defensive consistency. Whichever team can control the basepaths and avoid defensive miscues will likely earn its first-ever trip to a state championship game.