Eight area teams begin WPIAL title quest in baseball, softball
The WPIAL baseball and softball playoffs get under way today with eight local teams in action. Softball features first-round home games before shifting to neutral sites after that. All baseball matchups are at neutral sites.
In softball, fifth-seeded Connellsville (15-1) hosts 12th-seeded Franklin Regional (10-8) in Class AAA, while eighth-seeded Belle Vernon (15-2) entertains ninth-seeded Highlands (12-5) in Class AA. Both games begin at 3:30 p.m.
Connellsville’s baseball team also begins play today. The 13th-seeded Falcons (10-9-1) meet fourth-seeded Bethel Park at Beth-Center High School’s Sports Complex at 6 p.m. in Class AAA, while 16th-seeded Laurel Highlands (7-7-1) must travel to Freeport High School to play top-seeded Shaler (19-1) at 7 p.m.
Brownsville is the area’s only representative in Class AA baseball. The seventh-seeded Falcons (10-4) clash with 10th-seeded Ellwood City (13-6) at Burgettstown High School at 4 p.m.
Three Class-A baseball teams take the field today as well with two of them – Carmichaels and Geibel Catholic – taking part in a doubleheader at Peterswood Park in Peters Township. The sixth-seeded Gators (10-5) play 11th-seeded Avonworth (8-5) at 4 p.m., and the second-seeded Mikes (15-1) take on 15th-seeded Union (8-10) at 6 p.m.
California hits the road to Mount Pleasant High School. The 10th-seeded Trojans (10-4), who won the 2001 WPIAL Class A championship, meet seventh-seeded Leechburg (12-4) at 2 p.m.
Two more softball teams begin their quest for the Class-A crown on Tuesday with 3:30 p.m. games.
Second-seeded Beth-Center (14-6), which this year claimed its 10th section title since 1986, hosts 15th-seeded Elderton (6-11). Fourth-seeded Carmichaels (15-1), which won both the WPIAL and PIAA championships in 1998, hosts 13th-seeded Brentwood (11-7).
Dates, sites and times for second-round games will be revealed after first-round games are played.