Mother Nature turned off the faucet for a night and gifted the area baseball community with gorgeous weather on Thursday.

But Parkland and Liberty didn’t keep fans at DeSales University’s Butz Field at Weiland Park for very long.

In a game that lasted just one hour and 24 minutes, the Trojans and Hurricanes delivered a classic pitcher’s duel, and it was the Parkland pair of Sawyer Marsteller and Stephen Sepko that ruled the District 11 Class 6A championship.

They combined on a five-hitter, thrived while backed by an error-free defense, and were able to make a first-inning run stand up for a 1-0 victory and Parkland’s first district championship since 2015 and the program’s eighth District 11 gold overall.

It was the first 1-0 final in a District 11 baseball championship game since Saucon Valley beat Wilson 1-0 in eight innings in 1999.

It was also the Trojans’ third consecutive one-run win in the district tournament. The other two were walk-off wins. This time, the deciding run came before some in the crowd of about 500 could get settled.

“I really wish we wouldn’t have all of these one-run games because they are a little stressful, but we’re kind of comfortable in these games where we just scratch out a run and have to shut them down with our pitching and defense,” Parkland coach Kurt Weber said. “This is the way we’ve played all year long.”

Parkland’s first three hitters reached base against Liberty ace Michael Mariano Jr., who came into the game with a 10-0 record.

Connor Gerhart singled to left and moved to second on a walk by Brady Derr, and Will Dobil’s bunt single loaded the bases. Cleanup man Ben Weninger grounded to Hurricanes shortstop Willie Cruz, who turned a double play while Gerhart scored.

With so much game left, few thought that it would be the lone run in the game, but it was.

“That was a big first run,” said Gerhart, who joined Nathan Unger with two hits in Parkland’s seven-hit attack. “There was good pitching on both sides. I didn’t think it was just going to be that one run because we started off hot. When we get to states, we’ve got to keep it going.”

Both the Trojans (20-5) and the Hurricanes (20-6) are headed to the PIAA tournament on Monday. Parkland will host District 1’s No. 4 team, Neshaminy, while Liberty will travel to District 1’s runner-up, West Chester Henderson, at times to be announced.

Last year in the first round of the 6A tournament, Neshaminy’s Luke Schweiker and Steven Martin combined on a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Liberty at DeSales.

The Hurricanes, who were denied in their bid for a third straight district title, will try to flip the script in the PIAA tournament after scoring just one run in their last games.

Meanwhile, Parkland is content to give the ball to one of several pitchers to get the job done.

Marsteller, who plays ice hockey for the Trojans’ club team, epitomizes the Parkland way on the mound — throw strikes, pitch to contact, and stay calm.

He worked six innings, allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out one. He threw 91 pitches, 52 for strikes. Liberty’s biggest threat was in the sixth when a Dylan Metzgar single and a single by Jaxon Horvath, one of his three hits in the game, put two on with one out.

Marsteller worked out of it with a fielder’s choice groundball to shortstop Dobil.

“I had a lot of confidence because I trust my defense a lot,” he said. “The defense made every single play imaginable. I could just throw whatever I had to, and I knew the defense would make the plays.”

Parkland pitching coach Randy Baer, a 1986 Trojans graduate who Weber said is the best pitching coach in the Lehigh Valley, works well with the entire staff. It’s a staff with a team ERA of 1.62 and four hurlers with at least three wins, led by Marsteller’s 7-0 mark.

“These kids are really determined, and they come in and they just love to pitch,” Baer said. “They want to get better every time out. I can’t ask for better guys. I call the pitches, and they put them where the pitch is called. They love the battle. They come into practice every day wanting to constantly throw.”

According to Baer, Marsteller’s key was throwing strikes and not getting rattled.

“We knew they were going to hit the ball because they’re a good team and they hit the ball and we saw that in the league championship game, but I told Sawyer not to let them get back-to-back hits,” Baer said. “Sawyer’s a competitive kid, a hockey player who loves to battle. He stayed calm.”

Sepko, who was the winning pitcher with three scoreless innings in relief in the 7-5 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championship win over Liberty on May 17, gave up a lead-off single in the seventh to Adam Unangst, and Cruz moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. But a flyball to center and a popup to second baseman Derr finished it.

It was Parkland’s first title at the 6A level. When the Trojans beat Easton 4-3 for the 2015 title, 4A was the largest classification. They had lost six consecutive district finals, including the last two district finals to Liberty.

“I was talking to Todd Miller [the Southern Lehigh coach and Weber’s good friend] about it, and we said it’s hard to win both the league and district titles in the same year,” Weber said. “Todd’s team won the Colonial League, and neither of our teams played especially well right after that. There could be a little hangover, if you will, after you win the league. You get a little bit of satisfaction, a little bit of glory, and it’s tough to come back and stay hungry and get after it. My hat’s off to Liberty for being able to do it the last couple of years. But for us, it’s nice to finally get the gold because we’ve been right around it for a lot of years.”

Parkland 1, Liberty 0

Liberty 000 000 0 — 0 – 4 – 1

Parkland 100 000 0 — 1 7 0

Mariano and Pichardo; Marsteller, Sepko (7) and Morabito. W: Marsteller.

Originally Published: May 30, 2025 at 1:16 AM EDT

“This year went really well, coming in right away and learning how to adapt to the pace of play and the structure of a college-level game. It was something that really helped me and helped my game.”

To some observers, Hagens was in a situation akin to that of Macklin Celebrini, who arrived at Boston University in 2023 as the projected top pick in 2024 and went on to be selected No. 1 by the Sharks last June after posting 64 points.

Once the season started, Hagens worked his way up to centering the top line, skating with 2023 first-round picks Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. It was a spot occupied the year before by Will Smith, who led the country with 71 points before signing with the Sharks last spring.

While Hagens didn’t have the same level of offensive production, comparisons to Celebrini or Smith weren’t quite fair as the circumstances were a bit different. Listed at 5 feet 11 inches, 176 pounds, Hagens did not have the physical traits of Celebrini, who showed up at BU at 6 feet, 190 pounds and already was a more complete player.

Smith had established chemistry with Leonard and Perreault, the trio having skated together with the US National Team Development Program before heading to BC. So while the transition may not have been seamless at first with Hagens, by the end of the season they were one of the top lines in the NCAA, with Leonard being named Hockey East Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker Award finalist.

“He’s got some things that are a lot harder to teach,” said BC coach Greg Brown. “His spatial awareness and ability to transport pucks and skate by guys, not only with good skating but also by using his brain to set up the people he wants to skate by, whether he’s making them freeze with a fake, or getting them at the wrong foot so he can use the other side against them. He just has some real special attributes that will translate very well to the NHL.”

At times it seemed Hagens may have been too deferential to his older linemates, perhaps not looking for his own shot.

“He did have those moments, but he’s kind of a pass-first player right now,” said Brown. “His vision and creativity to distribute pucks is one of his very best attributes, and I think he enjoys that part of the game, so he’ll grow into becoming a dual threat of scorer and passer.”

Whether that growth continues at BC is not certain, as Hagens hasn’t stated if he will return for his sophomore year. While Smith and Celebrini were one and done, another year in college would seem to be beneficial for Hagens, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of Leonard and Perreault, who jumped to the NHL this spring. Cutter Gauthier also returned for a second year with BC for the 2023-24 season, and went on to lead the nation in goals and was a Hobey Baker finalist.

“You just have to see what happens,” said Hagens. “There’s no decision made yet. That’s a discussion me and my family and the team would have to have after the draft.”

The NHL is not a developmental league, with teams playing three to four times a week. The college schedule typically calls for no more than two games a week, on weekends, allowing for more practices. It also provides an opportunity to hit the weight room so players can withstand the rigors of the NHL when they do make the jump.

It’s hard to imagine any organization having an issue if Hagens chooses to return to campus. Most scouting reports indicate that he could use a bit more seasoning. He certainly seems to have enjoyed his time in Boston, and didn’t flinch when asked about the prospect of falling to Bruins, who own the seventh pick.

“I love Boston,” Hagens said. “Obviously being at Boston College, I’m right in the middle of Boston there. It’s a beautiful city. Only great things to say about it.”

But before that, he will head to Buffalo for next week’s scouting combine, something Hagens has been gearing up for since BC’s season ended in late March. It’s another step as he moves closer to hearing his name called next month.

“Getting drafted, it’s been my dream my entire life,” said Hagens. “That’s why I started playing hockey. That’s why I still play. I’m really just grateful for everything right now … You just have to make sure you’re living in the moment and taking it day by day.”

Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.

Jake Butt joins Adam Breneman for an unfiltered conversation about the broken state of college football. From NIL (name, image, and likeness) hypocrisy to why players feel like employees, Jake dives into how the culture needs to evolve and fast.

He also shares his journey from Michigan star to rising broadcaster, his thoughts on sports betting, why Penn State might be ready to break through, and how he rebuilt his purpose after football.

The Department of Homeland Security has designated State College as a “sanctuary jurisdiction” under Executive Order 14287, titled “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens.”

The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump, mandates the identification and public listing of jurisdictions that, according to DHS, obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws. 

State College was included on the DHS list due to policies perceived as limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. These may involve restrictions on local law enforcement’s ability to share information with federal agencies or to detain individuals based solely on their immigration status, creating a barrier to Trump’s mass deportation plan. 

The designation implies that these jurisdictions may face federal scrutiny and potential consequences, such as the withholding of certain federal funds, unless they adhere with the administration’s policies for federal immigration laws.

Other cities in Pennsylvania included were Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and York.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian got defensive when asked about a recent report claiming the Longhorns are set to spend around $40 million on their team for the 2025 college football season

Most college football blue bloods aren’t naive to the fact that their programs can’t spend more each season than their rivals. The figures they can spend vary. Kirk Bohls of the Houston Chronicle reported that Texas is set to spend between $35 and $40 million next season in an attempt to get over the College Football Playoff semifinal hump.

Coach Steve Sarkisian was not impressed with this stir. “It was a little bit of irresponsible reporting,” he said Tuesday during a hit on SiriusXM radio.

Even after losing the likes of Quinn Ewers to the NFL, Sarkisian can still rely on a star-studded and expensive roster in 2025, led by ascending quarterback Arch Manning.

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“I wish I had $40 million on our roster, we’d probably be a better team than we are,” Sarkisian continued. “The idea to think that a lot of other schools aren’t spending money to get players, I mean, it’s the state of college football right now. It is what it is.

“We’re fortunate, don’t get me wrong. We’ve got great support. Chris Del Conte, our athletic director, does a fantastic job. People are excited, and we’ve been to the CFP two years in a row and have had 20-something guys drafted the last two years. It has been a great run.”

Sarkisian has taken well to life in Austin. The coach of the 2025 preseason No. 1, making north of $10 million annually, has a 38-17 record with the Longhorns.

This stint comes on the back of a successful run as Alabama’s offensive coordinator.

Texas fell agonizingly short of the CFP final a season ago. Trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against Ohio State, Ewers fumbled the ball on a fourth-and-goal snap — it was returned over 80 yards by Buckeyes linebacker Jack Sawyer to secure the victory.

“We have been to the CFP two years in a row, and we’ve had 20-something guys drafted the last two years,” Sarkisian added. “So it’s been great. It’s been a great run. I wish I had another $15 million or so; we might have a little better roster.”

He bemoaned the lack of real reporting on his team’s finances.

“I’ve watched this for 25 years now, the evolution of Twitter and social media, and podcasts,” he said.

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“One guy writes an article from an anonymous source that says that’s what our roster is. Everybody ran with it. And I’m talking real publications, ran with it.

“Nobody asked me one question. Okay, sure, but if that’s the narrative you want to paint for our team. That’s fine, whatever.”

Sarkisian and the top-ranked Longhorns will open the season with a CFP rematch, traveling to Columbus for a matchup against a dangerous Ohio State side.