2025 WPIAL Class A softball championship breakdown: Union vs. Carmichaels
By:
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | 4:01 PM
Union starting pitcher Mia Preuhs throws against Chartiers-Houston during the 2024 WPIAL Class A softball championship game at Lilley Field.
WPIAL Class A softball final
No. 1 Union vs. No. 2 Carmichaels
4:30 p.m. Thursday, Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)
On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN; Video: NFHS Network
WPIAL titles: Union 2 (2023, ’22), Carmichaels 2 (1998, ’97)
Union (18-2)
Coach: Doug Fisher
Projected starting lineup
21, Olivia Williams, SS, 5-5, jr.
20, Addie Nogay, CF, 5-9, sr.
17, Irelyn Fisher, C, 5-10, so.
12, Mia Preuhs, P, 5-9, sr.
11, Olivia Benedict, 1B, 5-10, jr.
27, Maggie Joseph, 2B, 5-5, so.
15, Korynne Shannon, RF, 5-6, so.
4, Emily Ross, LF, 5-4, so.
2, Maddie Settle, 3B, 5-4, jr.
How they got here: Union defeated No. 8 Jeannette, 10-0 in five innings, in the quarterfinals and No. 5 Jefferson-Morgan, 15-0 in three innings, in the semifinals.
Notable: Union has reached the WPIAL A championship game the last three years. The Scotties won WPIAL titles in 2022-2023 and lost to Chartiers-Houston in the Class A final last year. Union won the Section 1 championship this year and has scored at least 11 runs 11 times. Junior first baseman Olivia Benedict, junior shortstop Olivia Williams and senior pitcher Mia Preuhs lead the team with batting averages of .528, .521 and .520 (minimum 18 games played). Preuhs has a team-best 37 RBIs along with eight home runs. Preuhs also has an ERA of 0.97. Sophomore catcher Irelyn Fisher has smacked 11 home runs to lead the team, while Williams has swiped a team-high 22 bags. In the semifinal victory over Jefferson-Morgan, Preuhs struck out six, surrendered three hits and went 3 for 3 with two homers and five RBIs. Sophomore right fielder Korynne Shannon also hit two home runs and drove in five runs.
Carmichaels (16-0)
Coach: Dave Briggs
Projected starting lineup
23, Kaitlyn Waggett, C, 5-10, sr.
2, Ashton Batis, 2B, 5-8, sr.
4, Carys McConnell, SS, 5-7, jr.
7, Ali Jacobs, 1B, 5-8, sr.
10, Bailey Barnyak, P, 5-7, jr.
1, Ke’Lani Chun, LF, 5-3, fr.
22, Avery Voithofer, RF, 5-8, so.
13, Payton Plavi, DP, 5-6, jr.
(8, Allie Miller, 3B-FLEX, 5-6, sr.)
3, Duski Staggers, CF, 5-8, sr.
How they got here: Carmichaels defeated No. 7 Serra Catholic, 9-0, in the quarterfinals and No. 3 West Greene, 10-0 in six innings, in the semifinals.
Notable: Carmichaels won the Section 2 title with an undefeated, dominant season. The Mikes outscored opponents 159-12 (including playoffs), improving on their third-place finish in WPIAL Class A last season. Junior shortstop Carys McConnell leads the Mikes in batting average (.565), RBIs (29) and home runs (5) and is second in hits (26). Junior Bailey Barnyak has done nearly all of the pitching for Carmichaels, recording a 0.53 ERA. Opponents are batting .118 against her and have struck out 193 times. Barnyak went six innings, struck out 12 and allowed three hits in the semifinal win over section rival West Greene. Also, six batters doubled for the Mikes, senior first baseman Ali Jacobs had two hits and four RBIs and McConnell totaled three hits with an RBI. The lone PIAA softball title for Carmichaels came in Class 2A in 1998.
Tags: Carmichaels, Union
More High School Sports
• High school scores, summaries and schedules for June 3, 2025• Shaler shows strength in PIAA 1st-round sweep of Saegertown
• High school roundup for June 3, 2025: Pine-Richland scorers hit milestones in girls lacrosse state playoff win
• Penn-Trafford boys volleyball drops State College to set up rematch with North Allegheny
• Will Robertson helps North Allegheny take care of business in PIAA 1st round
