FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Nativity’s baseball program has been greeted with a recent flurry of success at the district and state level over the past two seasons.
The Hilltoppers (8-14) defended the District 11 Class A Championship crown when they did just about everything right to defeat Moravian Academy (3-19) 11-0 at North Schuylkill’s Robert Wetzel Field on Tuesday afternoon.
“We have a lot of experience in the postseason and having seven juniors back that all played a good amount last year, we’re going to bring the energy,” Nativity coach Ben Kreiger said. “Just like the Eagles a few years ago in the Super Bowl, we’re the underdogs and now it’s a new season.”
Nativity reached the PIAA Class 1A semifinals last season where they fell to Southern Fulton, 3-0 . They’ll now await their next consecutive PIAA state playoff game to be announced a later time.
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Nativity BVM pitcher Stephen Karinch and catcher Tommy Bartashus celebrate after the final out of the District 11 Class A Championship Game on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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The Nativity BVM baseball team celebrates on the infield after winning the District 11 Class A Championship Game on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Nativity BVM’s Ryan Grabowski slides safely into second base during the District 11 Class A Championship Game on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
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Nativity’s Ryan Grabowski and Trey Keating. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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Nativity BVM pitcher Stephen Karinch and catcher Tommy Bartashus celebrate after the final out of the District 11 Class A Championship Game on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (RYAN SHARP/STAFF PHOTO)
Ryan Grabowski and Stephen Karinch teamed up on the mound to toss a complete game, no-hitter and Cash Kalkiewicz roped a three-run triple to the center field fence in the first inning to lead Nativity at the plate.
“It’s just throwing strikes and keeping them off balance and now we’re going back to states so it’s a whole new season,” Grabowski said. “We want to bring the same energy as last year to keep it going and get up early.”
Grabowski sat down Moravian Academy 1-2-3 in the top of the first before Nativity opened the game with a six run first inning at the plate.
Trey Keating doubled and Karinch singled to lead off the bottom of the first for Nativity before Marc Lutzkanin singled on a line drive to left field for the 1-0 lead.
Kalkiewicz stepped up two batters later with a three-run triple to the center field for the 4-0 lead. Kalkiewicz then came around to score on an error for the 5-0 difference.
“It sets the tempo right from the get go and the ball falls in, build momentum and gives us an early lead,” Kreiger said. “Starting ahead early and working ahead early so it’s doing everything early.”
Brady Loftus singled on a pop fly to center field to score Grabowski for the 6-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Grabowski used a stealthy changeup to keep Moravian Academy off balance and mow them down for 1-2-3 innings in the second and third innings. Grabowski recorded a swinging strikeout to end the second and give the Hilltoppers bats more life.
“We didn’t know as much about them, came in and threw strikes and got it around the plate,” Grabowski said. “Stephen came in and did a great job to close it.”
Ryan Examitas singled on a groundball to center field to score two more runs for the 8-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Nick Clarke ignited Nativity’s lineup in the bottom of the third with an RBI double to left field for the 9-0 difference before coming around to score on an error for the 10-0 lead.
Clarke shot an RBI double to left field to score Grabowski for the 11-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
“Nick bringing it up at the bottom of the lineup is important and turning it over to the top is really important,” Kreiger said. “It’s just good to build momentum at the end.”
Karinch came on to pitch in the top of the fourth and struck out all six batters he faced to secure the 11-0 win.
Trey Keating and Clarke each had two hits for Nativity while Examitas and Clarke each drove in two runs. Kalkiewicz tripled while Clarke doubled twice and Keating also ripped a double.
Moravian Academy 0 — Eckman 1B 2 0 0 0, Levy C 2 0 0 0, Morehouse P 2 0 0 0, Horvath 3B 2 0 0 0, Fernandez RF 2 0 0 0, Walters SS 2 0 0 0, Doherty 2B 1 0 0 0, Jankowski LF 1 0 0 0, Hayes CF 1 0 0 0. 15 0 0 0.
Nativity 11 — Keating CF 3 1 2 0, Karinch 1B 3 2 1 0, Lutzkanin 1 2 1 0, Examitas 3B 1 1 1 2, Kalkiewicz 2B 3 1 1 3, Bartashus C 3 0 0 0, Grabowski P 2 2 0 0, Loftus 2 1 1 1, Clarke RF 3 1 2 2. 21 11 9 8.
MOR (3-19);0;0;0;0;0;—0
NAT (8-14);6;2;2;1;x;—11
Moravian Academy
IP H R ER BB K
Morehouse 1 6 8 8 4 0
Fernandez 1 1 2 1 1 0
Walters 2 2 1 0 3 1
Nativity BVM
Grabowski 3 0 0 0 0 3
Karinch 2 0 0 0 0 6
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