May 8, 2025 8 min read

The WPIAL announced pairings for the high school baseball and softball playoffs May 8-9 and several area teams will begin pursuit of championships this week.

First-round action commences on May 12 and conclude with the finals in baseball at EQT Park in Washington and Lilley Field on the PennWest University campus in California’s. Six baseball and six softball champions will be crowned.

Visit www.wpial.com for complete brackets and matchups.

Though unheralded Mt. Lebanon hopes to return to the finals. The Blue have competed in the Class 6A finals for the past three years, claiming championships in 2022 and 2023 before falling to North Allegheny, 1-0, in 2024. The Blue Devils also won titles in 2006, 2002, 1993 and 1959 for six total.

Since finishing third in Section 2 with a 7-5 record, the Blue Devils have been preparing for the postseason. They have taken advantage of a two-week break before their first playoff game at Seneca Valley on May 19.

“We’ve practiced really hard each day to get ready to win two games on back-to-back days and find our way into the WPIAL championship,” said Lebo manager Patt McCloskey.

In the 8-team field, North Allegheny and Canon-McMillan claimed the Section 1 and 2 banners respectively. The Class 6A mix includes Seneca Valley, Butler and North Hills from Section 1. Norwin and Hempfield complete the bracket.

“It’s a very competitive field,” McCloskey said of Class 6A. “We saw a number of very good teams with very good pitchers from both our section and the North throughout the year. So it’s very hard to pick a clear favorite.”

Noting the Blue Devils played a “number of really competitive games” within the section, he said consistency will determine success.

“We just need to play a solid game in the playoffs to win,” McCloskey said.

CLASS 5A

Bethel Park is a solid contender for the Class 5A title as the Black Hawks captured the Section 2 title, their 37th in program history. They were district runners-up in 2024, falling to Penn-Trafford, 4-3. Although Bethel Park has won three state titles in the past four years, the team has not won a WPIAL banner since 1987.

While Section 2 went down to the wire filling the four playoff slots, Plum captured the top spot out of Section 1. Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and Franklin Regional join the Mustangs in the playoffs.

In Section 4, Thomas Jefferson won the banner followed by Baldwin, Connellsville and Montour. Shaler, Pine-Richland, Fox Chapel and Mars earned the playoff spots out of Section 3.

“Class 5A is such a deep field with many great teams and pitchers. It will be a grind as it always is,” said BP skipper Patrick Zehnder.

He added that teams to watch other than the Black Hawks would be Pine Richland, Plum, Shaler, Penn Trafford, TJ, Peters Twp, and Fox Chapel.

“I could see any of them winning it,” Zehnder said.

Pine-Richland earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament followed by Plum and Shaler. THe Blackhawks are seeded fourth and will face Franklin Regional at 7 p.m. May 14 at Boyce-Mayview Park in their first-round playoff contest.

The Black Hawks prepped for the playoffs by taking on Class 6A competition like playoff bound Mt. Lebanon and Canon-McMillan, which is seeded No. 2 in that tournament.

In a 6-2 triumph against Lebo, Michael Bruckner clubbed three hits and drove in two runs. Ryan Petras and Nick Rillo tagged two hits each.

Eric Miehl smacked a two-run single while Noah LeJeune, Joey Levis and Aaron Hofbauer also had hits in the win.

Owen White earned the win on the mound, striking out seven and scattering two hits over four frames. Tyler Stewart and Rillo finished the game in relief of White.

Against the Big Macs, Dyaln Schumacher, Matthew Hughes and Bruckner combined for a 3-0 shutout.

Although Sebastian Shulsky struck out 10, Joey Levis and Dylan Paul tagged him for RBI singles. Petras doubled for the Black Hawks.

“Our pitching and defense have been strong all year, but our offense is starting to trend upward at the right time,” Zehnder said. “We are increasing our quality at bats and finding ways to be productive at the plate. The guys are also gelling and working together well.”

That formula should spell success for Bethel Park or any other playoff contender.

“We need to continue pitching and defending well, and as our offense is starting to get going, we are looking to get all 3 facets of the game peaking at the right time. With a field this deep, the team that plays the best baseball in the four playoff games will win,” Zehnder predicted.

Peters Township (8-4, 13-6) swept South Fayette, 2-1 and 11-8, to finish second, behind Bethel Park in the section standings while Upper St. Clair (7-5, 12-7) took two from Chartiers Valley, 4-2 and 7-2, to secure third place.

The Indians are one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs. They have won four games in a row and six of their last seven.

“We are excited about returning to the playoffs this season,” PT manager Rocky Plassio enthused. “We feel like we are playing some of our best baseball just in time for the postseason to begin.”

The Indians embark on postseason action by battling Baldwin at 4:30 p.m. May 14 at Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. Peters Township is the No. 7 seed while Baldwin is seeded 10th.

Senior captains Zach Miner, Michael Alspaugh and Jackson Stocker have led Peters Township this spring.

Miner is the top hitter with a .384 batting average and .507 base percentage. A catcher, Miner also leads the Indians with the lowest ERA 1.43 as a pitcher in 39 innings pitched.

A center fielder, Alspaugh is hitting .315 while also serving as the team’s closer. He leads the team with four saves and an 23 strikeouts in only 11 innings pitched.

Stocker is hitting .288 with a home run and 8 RBI.

Additionally, Brody Takacs leads the team with a pair of home runs and 15 RBI. James Tygard is hitting .300 with 12 RBI and 12 runs scored. David Oberschelp has contributed offensively with a .302 batting average and on the mound, with a 3-0 record and 2.58 ERA. 

According to Plassio, Jack Stewart has been “terrific” on the mound. He owns a 5-1 record in 35 innings pitched and 1.91 ERA. 

“I really like how our team is hopefully peaking at the right time and we have received contributions from many players,” Plassio said.

Plassio noted that Nathan Skroupa has emerged as a DH while the team has also benefited from the strong performances from three younger players: sophomore Jordan Haught as well as freshmen Brad Bucci and Adam Koraido.

Liam Wahl has done an outstanding job defensively at catcher and Reese Clarke is emerging as a strong bat in the outfield to go along side Alspaugh and Stocker.

Despite missing the past few games with an injury, Colin Stofik he played an outstanding shortstop and contributed 15 RBI offensively. The Indians hope that Stofik can return to full health for the playoffs. 

Plassio, like his fellow section managers, expects the Class 5A tournament to be “highly competitive” and that a handful of teams “realistically” could become eventual champion. Among those clubs, he said, are Pine Richland, Shaler, Plum, Bethel Park and Penn Trafford. “Maybe a couple others as well,” he added.

Peters Township could be that other team if the Indians play like they have in the second half of the regular season.

“In order to be successful in the playoffs, we need to continue to have strong pitching that has been consistent all season,” Plassio said. “Timely hitting will be a key to our success.

“We have proven to be competitive all year long so as long as we don’t hurt ourselves too much with mental mistakes, I like our chances of being competitive in this tournament,” Plassio concluded.

With the losses to Peters Township, the Lions (5-7, 9-8) were eliminated from playoff contention as Trinity sealed the final playoff slot behind USC. The Hillers will take on No. 1 Pine-Richland at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Plum High School. Meanwhile, USC plays Thomas Jefferson at 7 p.m. May 14 at West Mifflin.

SOFTBALL

South Fayette and Chartiers Valley were the lone Almanac teams to qualify for the WPIAL softball playoffs. Both finished tied for second place in Section 3 with 7-3 slates and qualified for the Class 5A tournament. West Allegheny claimed the section banner with a 9-1 record.

The Lady Lions were seeded seventh and will face Trinity at 4 p.m. May 12 at Pleasant Valley Elementary field on the Peters Township Middle School campus in McMurray.

The Colts are seeded No. 9 and will battle Plum at 5 p.m. May 12 at West Mifflin High School in their first-round playoff game.