By John Knebels • Posted June 5, 2026

On a sweltering afternoon in Hershey, Pa., Archbishop Wood didn’t just win a baseball game. The Vikings authored a performance stitched together by pitching precision, timely thunder, and a dugout belief that never wavered.

Wood defeated District 6 champion Bellefonte, 3-1, in the PIAA Class 4A state quarterfinal at Memorial Field on June 4, advancing to the semifinals on June 8 at 4 p.m. in Scotland, Pa. against Indiana Area High School, the District 7 winner.

It began with senior right-handers Andrew Unrath and Jack Coughlin treating the mound like a shared assignment in control and calm. Unrath set the tone early, allowing just one run in the third inning while scattering three hits and a walk over four innings, striking out six and repeatedly disrupting Bellefonte’s timing.

Then came the turn.

The fifth inning cracked open a window, and Archbishop Wood didn’t hesitate.

Sophomore Jackson Kley opened with a one-out single, junior Shane Broadwater followed with a walk, and then senior Chase Cavallaro stepped in against a relief pitcher and changed the temperature of the entire game.

On the first pitch he saw, Cavallaro launched a fastball that cleared everything, turning a tight contest into a 3-1 lead Wood would never relinquish.

“I saw he was throwing pretty hard during warm-ups,” said Cavallaro. “I was trying to attack the first pitch I liked and be ready for that fastball. I got the fastball middle in and I didn’t miss it. I knew it was out right away, as it was one of the farthest balls I’ve hit in my life.

“It was awesome celebrating with my team at home plate, all the emotions rushing through. It was a blessing. Definitely the best moment of my career.”

For Cavallaro, the moment was more than just a swing—it was a release.

“It was amazing,” said Cavallaro. “Knowing that I’ve worked hard for moments like this and it actually happening is incredible. We still have more to go, but I’m super happy that was able to happen.”

And there was perspective, too, beyond the arc of one ball disappearing into the hot Hershey air.

“Being the only Catholic League team left in states is special,” said Cavallaro. “It shows the hard work that both teams put day in and day out. It wouldn’t be possible without our amazing coaches.”

With the lead secured, the Vikings handed the ball to Coughlin—and the transition felt seamless rather than stressful.

Now pitching with a cushion, Coughlin delivered three innings of sharp relief, allowing just one hit while extinguishing Bellefonte’s final threat in the seventh. After an error and a single put runners on first and second with no outs, he struck out two batters and induced a failed bunt attempt, personally fielding the ball and firing to first to end the rally.

“I was pumped to come into the game right after an explosive inning by our offense,” said Coughlin. “Cavallaro’s monster homerun gave us all the momentum. I understood I had to come in and have a shutdown inning.

“It was a great atmosphere, but I wouldn’t say there were much nerves. I trusted myself and trusted my teammates behind me to make plays. It was a great team win and we are going to keep the train rolling into Monday.”

Unrath, who had set the table for the bullpen bridge, was just as steady in reflecting on the shift.

“It feels great getting to go out and pitch in such an important game,” said Unrath. “Helped me calm the nerves knowing I have such a good defense behind me along with our offense. I mean that was a fantastic swing by Chase—first pitch off of a new pitcher—and he got his pitch. Took a lot of the stress off of everyone’s shoulders. And we ended up getting the win.”

He also had no hesitation in trusting what came next as he handed the ball off to Coughlin.

“That’s my guy,” said Unrath. “I knew he had that locked down. Great pitcher, and his stuff was working really well. Great job in relief.”

By the time the final out was recorded, Archbishop Wood had not only secured a state semifinal berth. It had also become the Philadelphia Catholic League’s last hope for a state title.

For head coach Jim DiGuiseppe, the formula was as simple as it was satisfying: execution, toughness, and unity.

“Super proud of our guys,” said DiGuiseppe. “Great effort today by Andrew and Jack on the mound, and solid defense behind them. Huge hit by Chase. We continue to compete in the batter’s box, which is big. Really proud of the boys how they’re playing together and supporting each other.”

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Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.