Sites set for opening round of PIAA playoffs
Winning your district’s championship in baseball or softball means you won’t have to travel far in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. Some teams even get home games in the opening round.
Bentworth (21-2), which won its first WPIAL softball championship Wednesday by beating Neshannock 4-1 in the finals, won’t have to leave Washington County when the PIAA Class 2A tournament begins Monday. The Bearcats will play District 10 runner-up Wilmington (8-11) at the Pleasant Valley Elementary School field in McMurray. First pitch will be at 4 p.m.
The Bearcats are familiar with Pleasant Valley. That’s where Bentworth defeated Chartiers-Houston 2-1 in the WPIAL semifinals. A Bentworth victory would advance the Bearcats to the state quarterfinals Thursday against either District 5 champion Everett (18-4) or District 9 runner-up Cranberry (16-5).
All other area state qualifiers will have a long bus ride ahead of them.
Chartiers-Houston (18-4), the fourth-place team from the WPIAL, will play District 6 champion Bellwood-Antis (18-4) at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson at 4 p.m. Monday. The winner of the game will play Thursday against either District 4 champion Northwest Area (21-0) or District 2 winner Montrose (18-2).
In Class A softball, WPIAL runner-up Carmichaels (17-4) will play at District 5 champion Berlin Brothersvalley (20-2) at 4:30 p.m. Monday. The game is a rematch of last year’s first round.
Jefferson-Morgan (17-7), the third-place qualifier from the WPIAL, begins play against District 10 winner Cambridge Springs (12-6) at Allegheny College. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
If Jefferson-Morgan wins, then the Rockets will play the Carmichaels-Berlin Brothersvalley winner in the quarterfinals.
In Class 2A baseball, WPIAL runner-up Fort Cherry (18-2) will play at Everett (18-6), the District 5 champion. That game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Monday. The winner will meet either District 10 winner Mercyhurst Prep (18-2) or Riverview (15-7), the third-place team from the WPIAL, in the quarterfinals.
South Fayette (14-10), which is coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL’s Class 5A title game, will play at District 6 winner Hollidaysburg (20-2) at 4 p.m. Monday. The winner gets either WPIAL fourth-place finisher Thomas Jefferson (18-6) or District 3 winner Lampeter-Strasburg (17-4).