WPIAL clinched: Baseball playoff qualifiers through May 6, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Monday, May 6, 2024 | 11:31 PM

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The 2024 WPIAL baseball playoff field is nearly finalized with 72 teams clinched and nine possible spots up for grabs Tuesday as section play concludes.

The top four teams in each section qualify for the playoffs with all tied teams advancing if they split their head-to-head meetings.

Coverage of the 2024 WPIAL baseball playoffs can be seen and heard here on Trib HSSN starting with the unveiling of the brackets in the Playoff Pairings Show at noon Friday.

Here is the updated list of teams that have earned a district playoff berth, along with some one-game playoff scenarios through Monday.

Class 6A

Set with 8 playoff teams – no first-round games, postseason starts with quarterfinals

Section 1

*Pine-Richland Rams

North Allegheny Tigers

Seneca Valley Raiders

Butler Golden Tornado

Section 2

*Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Hempfield Spartans

Norwin Knights

Central Catholic Vikings

Class 5A

Set with 12 playoff teams – four first-round byes

Section 1

Penn-Trafford Warriors

Fox Chapel Foxes

Franklin Regional Panthers

Plum Mustangs

Section 2

*Bethel Park Black Hawks

South Fayette Lions

Connellsville Falcons

Trinity Hillers

Section 3

*West Allegheny Indians

*North Hills Indians

Shaler Titans

Moon Tigers

(Mars tied with Moon for fourth place but lost head-to-head tiebreaker and did not qualify.)

Class 4A

Set with 16 playoff teams – no byes, no preliminary round games

Section 1

*Montour Spartans

Central Valley Warriors

Hopewell Vikings

Blackhawk Cougars

Section 2

*Belle Vernon Leopards

Latrobe Wildcats

Ringgold Rams

Uniontown Red Raiders

Section 3

*Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

*West Mifflin Titans

Chartiers Valley Colts

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Section 4

*North Catholic Trojans

Indiana Little Indians

Kiski Area Cavaliers

Knoch Knights

(Hampton tied with Knoch for fourth place but lost head-to-head tiebreaker and did not qualify.)

Class 3A

14 of a possible 19 teams have clinched playoff spots

Section 1

Mohawk Warriors

Riverside Panthers

Neshannock Lancers

• The winner of Shenango (5-6) at Ellwood City (5-6) on Tuesday will clinch a playoff berth.

Section 2

*South Allegheny Gladiators

Avonworth Antelopes

South Park Eagles

Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

Section 3

Valley Vikings

Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Burrell Buccaneers

• East Allegheny (5-6) can clinch with a win Tuesday against visiting Freeport.

• Derry (4-6) needs two wins over Shady Side Academy in a doubleheader Tuesday OR a split of the DH against SSA and a Freeport win over East Allegheny.

• Freeport can clinch with a win and two Derry losses.

• If East Allegheny, Derry and Freeport all end up tied with 5-7 section record, Derry wins the head-to-head tiebreaker and will qualify while East Allegheny and Freeport would miss the postseason.

• If East Allegheny and Derry tie with 6-6 records, both teams will qualify.

Section 4

*Mt. Pleasant Vikings

Waynesburg Raiders

Greensburg Salem Golden Lions

McGuffey Highlanders

• Yough (5-6) can clinch with a win at Greensburg Salem on Tuesday AND a McGuffey (6-5) loss to Waynesburg on Tuesday.

Class 2A

11 of a possible 13 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Burgettstown Blue Devils

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Charleroi Cougars

Washington Little Prexies

• Beth-Center (4-7) can clinch with a victory at home over Washington on Tuesday.

Section 2

Seton LaSalle Rebels

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Laurel Spartans

Freedom Bulldogs

Section 3

*Serra Catholic Eagles

Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Riverview Raiders

Jeannette Jayhawks

Class A

11 of a possible 13 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Fort Cherry Rangers

Avella Eagles

Carmichaels Mighty Mikes

West Greene Pioneers

Section 2

*Union Scotties

Western Beaver Golden Beavers

Leechburg Blue Devils

Springdale Dynamos

• Rochester (4-7) can clinch with a win Tuesday at home over Western Beaver AND a Springdale loss to visiting Union on Tuesday.

Section 3

*Eden Christian Academy Warriors

Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Carlynton Cougars

• Sewickley Academy (5-6) can clinch with a win at Carlynton on Tuesday OR a Cornell loss to Eden Christian Academy. Cornell (4-7) can clinch with a win at home over Eden Christian Academy on Tuesday AND a Sewickley Academy loss at Carlynton on Tuesday. That would leave the two teams tied for fourth place and Cornell owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Sewickley Academy.

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