Hempfield softball ‘proud’ to receive No. 1 seed as WPIAL releases brackets

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, May 9, 2024 | 5:52 PM

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Hempfield has won eight WPIAL softball championships.

During five of those title runs, the Spartans opened the playoffs as a No. 1 seed.

Now they will try to make it six.

Defending champion Hempfield (18-1) was awarded the top seed in Class 6A when the pairings were announced Thursday. A team with nine returning starters wearing championship rings, Hempfield has a bye into the semifinals of the six-team bracket.

The Spartans were the No. 2 seed last season when they defeated No. 1 Seneca Valley, 2-1, in eight innings to take the championship.

This time, Seneca Valley (18-1) is No. 2 and also has a bye.

“It’s always nice being recognized for your team’s success during the regular season,” Hempfield coach Tina Madison said. “The girls worked hard all year to earn it, and we are proud of them for their accomplishments. Now we set our eyes on the next goal.”

Hempfield, which was the runner-up in 2000 and ‘01 as a No. 1, will get the winner of No. 5 Norwin (8-10) and No. 4 Pine-Richland (11-9) on May 22.

Norwin and Pine-Richland play at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Gateway.

Hempfield and Norwin met in last year’s semis.

While being the top seed bodes well for Hempfield, another good omen looms: The program has not had nine returning starters since 1999, when it won a PIAA title.

Only the WPIAL champion makes the state playoffs in 6A.

Madison will try to keep her players concentrated during a 13-day layoff from games that count.

“We are having a playoff reset meeting Saturday morning to reset and refocus on the next goal,” she said.

A number of other Westmoreland County teams also learned their playoff seeds and opponents.

Ligonier Valley (12-5) not only won an outright section title because it swept Southmoreland — the WPIAL no longer declares section co-champions if teams tie and one wins the head-to-head tiebreaker — but the Rams also received a No. 2 seed in Class 3A.

They will take on No. 15 Keystone Oaks (8-9) at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway.

“I’m a little surprised, yes,” said Ligonier Valley coach Mark Zimmerman, who has been guiding the team for 25 years. “We’ve done well, no question. But there were some other teams who had records better than ours. Regardless, you have to play everybody.”

The top four teams in Section 3-3A are from Westmoreland County.

No. 5 Southmoreland (14-2) meets No. 12 Freeport (10-6) at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway.

While initially perturbed by the seeding, Southmoreland coach Todd Bunner turned to the task at hand.

“Whatever,” he said. “You’ve got to play everyone in front of you, no matter what. Disrespect brings fire.”

Also from the section, No. 9 Yough (8-4) will face No. 8 McGuffey (10-4) at 5 p.m. Monday at Norwin; and No. 11 Mt. Pleasant (11-8) takes on No. 6 Central Valley (11-2) at 5 p.m. Tuesday at West Mifflin.

“Our section is exceptionally strong,” Zimmerman said. “Southmoreland is a very good team. And that’s not to take anything away from Yough and Mt. Pleasant. They have been up and down the tracks before.”

In Class 5A, Penn-Trafford (12-5) parlayed its section split with No. 1 seed Armstrong into a No. 4 seed. The Warriors will play No. 13 Bethel Park (10-9) in the first round 5 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin.

In its last two games, Penn-Trafford 10-runned Connellsville, another 5A playoff team, and edged 6A No. 3 seed North Allegheny, 2-1.

No. 11 Latrobe (9-10) and No. 12 Franklin Regional (10-8) have quarterfinal rematches from a year ago on Monday.

Latrobe plays No. 6 Trinity (11-5) at 5 p.m. at Montour, and No. 12 Franklin Regional (10-8) meets No. 5 Shaler (14-3) at 4 p.m. at Plum.

Franklin Regional lost to Shaler in last year’s quarterfinals.

In Class 4A, defending WPIAL champion Belle Vernon (13-6) is seeded sixth after getting the No. 4 seed last season. The Leopards face No. 11 Blackhawk (7-7) at 3 p.m. Monday at Peterswood Park in Peters Township.

No. 10 Greensburg Salem (8-12) plays No. 7 Knoch (13-6) at 6 p.m. Monday at Plum.

Greensburg Central Catholic (7-6) received a No. 11 seed in the 2A bracket and will face No. 6 Charleroi (13-4) at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Norwin.

GCC edged Charleroi, 4-3, in last year’s quarters.

Two local teams will open the Class A playoffs at 3 p.m. Tuesday. No. 6 Jeannette (11-2) plays No. 11 Northgate (6-9) at West Mifflin, and No. 10 Monessen (7-6) faces No. 7 South Side Beaver (12-4) at Montour.

Other No. 1 seeds are Armstrong (5A), Elizabeth Forward (4A), Avonworth (3A), Neshannock (2A) and Union (A).

The WPIAL finals are set for May 30-31 at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.