Travel baseball and softball teams have a reputation for swiping players from community teams and leaving the local leagues scrambling for talent.

But not at Penn-Trafford.

The Penn Township rec leagues have found ways to thrive and keep players home. Those players have also found great success in recent seasons.

The Penn-Trafford 12U baseball team just finished another season, winning six of eight tournaments it entered against some of the top travel teams from around Western Pa. and the country. They finished 35-7 and played 30 teams from eight states along the way.

The team is made up of 12 boys and one girl from a five-mile radius in the Penn-Trafford School District.

So how did they keep their players home? Simple, the made up their own travel team from their recreational program, which features six teams at each level.

“We had four players from our team make the Beaver Valley Reds roster four years ago,” coach Brian Lenart said. “A group (himself, Steve Freas and Phil Schreyer) of us got together and decided we can do that within our community instead of driving all the way to Beaver. We lose very few kids to the travel teams and, in fact, we beat a lot of the elite travel ball all-star teams.”

Lenart said getting the players to play together is more enjoyable.

“Do you want to play a game, get little practice and go home?” Lenart said. “Or do you want to play a game with your friends, then play video games or go to Kennywood? Parents will spend thousands of dollars and play for travel teams, but are they getting the proper training? I know some of the team’s practice, but I also know some do not.”

The Penn-Trafford team is loaded with pitching talent. In fact, all 13 players can pitch at times.

The aces of the staff are left-hander Ethan Septak, righty Zach Feldman and righty Owen Szekely. The others that see valuable time on the hill are Logan Matrisch, Dom Delio, Braden Kane and Nico Casciato.

“Ethan throws in the lows 70s, Zach is tall and lanky and Owen is an athlete,” Lenart said. “All the kids can pitch. When you get into these tournaments, you use a lot of pitchers.”

Lenart said winning two tournaments in Tarentum, getting a win at Bridgeport (W.Va.) when the team played on TV was three of the most memorable moments of the season.

The other memorable moment came when the team won its 200th game over the past four seasons. That came against the Marauders Baseball Club on June 20 at All-American field in Trafford.

The only disappointment to the season is when the team’s trip to Cooperstown, N.Y. was canceled because of the coronavirus.

Other key members of the team include shortstop Tyler Boss, second baseman Ben Lenart (coach’s son), first baseman Bryce Ruby, third baseman/outfielder Santino Selia, catcher Colton Tyburski and pitcher/catcher/infielder Torrie DeStefano, who Lenart predicts will play Division I in either softball or basketball.

“She’s one of the best baseball players around,” Lenart said. “She hits the ball further than some of the boys.”

As for his son, Lenart calls him the heartbeat of the team.

“We’ve been fortunate to keep our players together,” Lenhart said. “I know there are some parents that will spend the money, and I see that from other schools around the area. But playing together allows us to be a close knit group. They pull for each other.”

Lenart said the Penn-Trafford organization has good coaches at every level. Penn-Trafford football coach John Ruane coached the 9U team.

“We’re just looking to keep things strong and within the community,” Lenart said. “We’re already preparing for nest spring and summer.”

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