3 top-ranked softball teams face a tough section test Monday

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, April 9, 2018 | 3:15 AM

The Mt. Pleasant, South Park and Chartiers-Houston softball teams are playing Monday for more than their top-ranked status in the WPIAL.

All three No. 1s face maybe their toughest section foe.

That includes a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in Class 2A when Chartiers-Houston (3-0, 1-0) hosts Frazier (2-3, 1-0) in a Section 3 clash for first place at 4:15 p.m.

In Section 1-4A, Mt. Pleasant (1-0, 1-0) hosts No. 5 Knoch (1-0, 0-0).

In Section 3-3A, South Park (2-0, 2-0) host No. 4 Waynesburg (4-1, 2-0).

Weather could always impact the schedule. Monday's forecast predicts occasional rain showers with a high near 40.

WPIAL champion Frazier defeated Chartiers-Houston twice in the regular season last year, winning 7-2 and 4-3. But Chartiers-Houston proved again that it's hard to beat a team three times and won 4-3 when they met in a state quarterfinal.

Frazier started this season ranked No. 1, but the teams switches spots after the Commodores lost three nonsection games — twice to Laurel Highlands.

Mt. Pleasant defeated Knoch twice last season but the teams ultimately finished tied atop the section standings with 8-2 records. South Park won both section matchups with Waynesburg last season and claimed the section title.

It's payback time for postponements

Cold, wet weather forced teams to skip games last week, but those postponements will start to cause a schedule crunch this week.

Consider Section 2-5A in baseball. Starting Monday, Brashear, Chartiers Valley, Moon and West Allegheny have four section games in six days. Two of the teams, Moon and Chartiers Valley, have contests scheduled Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Bright lights for Section 1 baseball opener

Two of the WPIAL's top Class 6A baseball teams are scheduled to play Monday night under the lights. No. 1 Pine-Richland (5-0, 0-0) and third-ranked Butler (2-0, 0-0) are expected to play their Section 1 opener at Pullman Park at 7 p.m.

Pine-Richland is the defending WPIAL champion.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.