Norwin catcher Ty Stecko gives verbal commitment to Mount St. Mary’s

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021 | 9:08 PM

From the first time he watched college baseball on television, Ty Stecko wanted to play at the next level. He believed he could grow into a Division I talent and his confidence blossomed over time, soon catching up with the fast pace set by his skill set.

“I believed in myself through my childhood,” he said. “I believed I had the talent and God-given athleticism.”

Until Tuesday, the highlight of the Norwin junior’s budding baseball career was the time he hit a grand slam to win a Little League 12-and-under state tournament game.

“Just running around the bases with hundreds of fans in attendance was amazing and an unforgettable moment,” he said.

But that moment was trumped slightly by the big-swinging slugger’s verbal commitment to play for Division I Mount St. Mary’s.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound catcher will follow senior teammate Nick Fleming’s path to the Emmitsburg, Md. school. Fleming committed to the Mountaineers in July. That’s when Stecko went with him on a recruiting trip to the campus.

The Mountaineers play in the Northeast Conference.

“It means so much to play D-1 baseball because only 2.1% of high school baseball players participate in (that) next level,” Stecko said. “It also just shows myself that whatever I put my mind to I can make a reality.”

@TGQuealy @pbrpennsylvania @BillBeckner pic.twitter.com/96fp4KREjK

— Ty (@Stecko_Ty) January 5, 2021

Mount St. Mary’s was the only school to offer Stecko a scholarship. He plays for Flood City Elite out of Altoona in the summer, but Mount St. Mary’s only saw him play live once due to covid-19 restrictions.

Stecko shared video highlights with the program, a practice that has replaced face-to-face communication in many cases during the pandemic era.

Tom Quealy, a longtime Norwin assistant coach, introduced Stecko to Mount St. Mary’s coach Scott Thomson. Quealy’s son, Tommy, a former Norwin standout, played at Mount St. Mary’s.

“Coach Quealy had a huge impact,” Stecko said. “I also would like to credit my travel ball coach (Mike Finley) for getting me ready to play each year — and my family. My dad used many hours and days, whether it was to throw me a bucket of balls to hit or help me to lower time off my pop time. He was there through it all.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin