TAMAQUA — Marian Catholic went into the PIAA playoffs Monday afternoon unsure of whom the latest shining star would be.
Roman Bednarek proved the man of the hour on the mound and at the plate as he led Marian Catholic (20-4) to an 11-1 mercy-rule victory over Wyoming Seminary (14-10).
“When you’re one of the last eight teams in the state, anything is possible,” Marian Catholic coach John ‘Pilsey’ Petrilyak said. “A bloop and a blast can get you a couple runs and suddenly you’re beating a team by two or three runs.”
*
Marian Catholic’s Brayden Grant (22) lays a tag on Wyoming Seminary’s Nieko Ravaioli (34) during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Marian Catholic’s Mitchel Knock takes a lead off of third base during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Wyoming Seminary’s John Comitz throws a pitch during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Marian Catholic’s Roman Bednarek fires a pitch during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Marian Catholic’s Chase Quinn-Gutsie scores a run during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Wyoming Seminary’s Ryan Finlay (30) takes a lead off of first base as Marian Catholic’s Jimmy Cannon holds him on (20) during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
1 of 6
Marian Catholic’s Brayden Grant (22) lays a tag on Wyoming Seminary’s Nieko Ravaioli (34) during the first round of the PIAA Playoffs on Monday, June 1, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
Marian Catholic advances to the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals to take on Southern Columbia on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.
Bednarek shined on the mound with a five-inning complete-game win, allowing just one run and one hit and striking out six. He also made a difference at the plate when he lifted a two-run home run over the left field fence for the 6-1 lead in the fourth inning.
“I felt prepared and I give a lot of credit to my team for keeping me in order today,” Bednarek said. “I think we could win it all, we’re a very good team and we showed that today.”
The Colts wasted no time getting ahead of Wyoming Seminary when they scored three runs in the bottom of the first and knocked out pitcher Ryan Finlay after just two outs.
Bednarek drove in a team-high four runs for Marian Catholic while Noah Bauder and Jimmy Cannon each brought in two runs. Chase Quinn-Gutsie and Bauder each had two hits while Bednarek homered and Rocco Griguoli and Bauder each doubled.
“I was really happy for Noah, and he’s really come out of his shell at the plate the last few games,” Pilsey said. “He’s really picked it up these last few games.”
Bednarek struck out two in the top of the first inning, but allowed the only run of the game when Nieko Ravaioli flew out to center field to score Leo Nockley for the 1-0 difference.
The Colts brought home three runs in the bottom of the first inning, beginning with a Noah Bauder RBI line drive single to right field to score Quinn-Gutsie and knot the score at 1.
“Our message has been the same all year and that’s to get to 0-1 and get ahead in the count and backward pitch guys,” Pilsey said. “We’ve been lucky to be able to do that and we’re in a really good spot.”
Brayden Grant and Chase Grier each walked with the bases loaded for the 3-1 lead at the end of the first.
Bednarek continued his romp on the mound in the top of the second, recording a 1-2-3 inning and striking out Finlay for the third out.
“I tried to work all my pitches today and get comfortable with all of them and I knew all of them were working well today,” Bednarek said. “The strikeouts were a little higher than I expected and that was about it.”
Bednarek drove in the Colts’ next run in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout to third base to score Quinn-Gutsie for the 4-1 lead.
Marian Catholic’s big break came in the bottom of the fourth when Bednarek drove a pitch over the left field fence for a two-run homer and the 6-1 lead.
“That first at-bat, I was just trying to put the ball in play and the next at-bat they gave me my pitch. I turned on it, and I knew it was gone off the bat,” Bednarek said.
Jimmy Cannon continued the scoring when he drove a two-run line drive single to right field for the 8-1 advantage.
The Colts walked it off in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a Bednarek bases-loaded walk for the 9-1 lead. Griguoli was hit by a pitch to plate Cole Defrancisco for the 10-1 lead. Bauder then flew out to right field to score Quinn-Gutsie for the 11-1 final score.
Wyoming Seminary 1 — Rolland LF 2 0 0 0, Nockley SS 1 1 0 0, Ravailoli 3B 2 0 0 1, Hanson-Richart 1B 2 0 0 0, Comitz CF 2 0 0 0, Weinberger 2B 2 0 0 0, Finlay P 2 0 1 0, Aponick RF 1 0 0 0, Stevenson C 2 0 0 0. 16 1 1 1.
Marian Catholic 11 — Quinn-Gutsie CF 2 4 2 0, Bednarek P 2 1 1 4, Griguoli DH 2 1 1 1, Bauder 3B 4 2 2 2, Lemus SS 2 1 0 0, Jordan 1B 1 0 0 0, Cannon 1B 1 0 1 2, Grant 2B 2 0 0 1, Grier RF 1 0 0 1, Knock 1 1 1 0, Defrancisco LF 2 1 0 0. 20 11 8 11.
WYO (14-10);1;0;0;0;0;—1
MAR (20-4);3;1;0;4;3;—11
Wyoming Seminary
IP H R ER BB K
Finlay 0.2 1 3 3 5 0
Ravaioli 2.2 3 4 4 2 2
Comitz 1 4 4 4 2 1
Marian Catholic
Bednarek 5 1 1 0 2 6