High school roundup for June 9, 2025: Freedom, Eden Christian baseball, Neshannock, Union softball make state finals

By:
Monday, June 9, 2025 | 10:12 PM


Freedom came into the WPIAL Class 2A baseball playoffs as a No. 8 seed. Four weeks and eight wins later, the Bulldogs will be playing for a state title.

Boden Hilliard threw a three-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts and one walk to lead Freedom to a 2-0 victory over District 10 champ Mercyhurst Prep in the PIAA Class 2A semifinals Monday at Slippery Rock.

The Bulldogs (18-7) will meet District 1 champ Faith Christian in the state championship game at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Penn State.

In the first inning, Nick Fessler singled and Tommy Ward hit a ball over the head of the center fielder for a two-run inside-the-park homer. That’s all the offense Freedom needed.

Alex Manendo reached base twice for Mercyhurst Prep (24-2) on a single and a walk.

Eden Christian 12, Clarion 1 – Eden Christian is hitting the ball at a state championship pace.

Brady Hull went 3 for 4 with two doubles and three runs scored as the Warriors collected 15 hits in a Class A semifinal win. Eden Christian (19-5) has scored double-digit runs in three of its last four games.

Christian Watkins singled, tripled and drove in two runs, Jacob Janicki tripled and knocked in a run and Levi DeFazio had three hits and an RBI for the Warriors, who will meet Southern Fulton in the state finals at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Penn State.

Noah Emswiler and Janicki combined on a three-hitter. Emswiler allowed one hit and struck out five in three innings. Janicki gave up one unearned run on two hits in four innings.

Hayden Weber singled, doubled and scored for Clarion (16-7).

Indiana vs. East Pennsboro – The PIAA Class 4A semifinal between Indiana (24-1) and East Pennsboro (23-0) was suspended due to weather and darkness with the score tied 5-5 after 13 innings. The game will resume at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Governor’s Park in Bellefonte.

Indiana’s Tim Birch hit an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Charlie Manzi was injured while making the final out of the 13th inning trying to score from second on a single by Caden Force. Greg Minnick pitched four scoreless innings from the 10th inning on.

Softball

Neshannock 12, Chartiers-Houston 1 – Defending state champion Neshannock is on top of its game as the Lancers roll into another PIAA final.

Addy Frye threw a five-inning one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs as Neshannock rolled to a Class 2A semifinal win. Gianna DeSalvo went 2 for 3 with a double, triple and three RBIs for the Lancers, who jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning.

Miley Anderson went 3 for 4 with a double and drove in a run and Jaidon Nogay had three hits and two RBIs for Neshannock (25-0), which will face South Williamsport in the finals at 11 a.m. Thursday at Penn State.

The lone hit for Chartiers-Houston (22-3) was an RBI triple for Lauren Rush. The Bucs suffered three losses all year – two to Neshannock in the postseason and one to Class 5A state semifinalist West Allegheny in the regular season.

Union 8, Cambridge Springs 0 – Mia Preuhs continued her dominant postseason, throwing a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts to lead Union (22-2) to a Class A semifinal win over Cambridge Springs (17-3). Preuhs has thrown six straight shutouts in the postseason, allowing five hits and striking out 73 in 35 innings.

Irelyn Fisher singled, doubled and drove in four runs and Olivia Benedict had a single, double and two RBIs for the Scotties, who will meet the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Northeast Bradford and Claysburg-Kimmel in the championship game at 11 a.m. Friday at Penn State. Olivia Williams went 3 for 3 and Madelynn Settle had two hits and two runs scored.

More Baseball

Head of the Class: The top WPIAL baseball players in each classification for 2025
Pa. baseball coaches association announces 2025 all-state teams, all-star game rosters
Belle Vernon baseball coach out after 2 strong seasons
Latrobe’s new-look American Legion squad out to repeat as district champs
Head of the Class: The top WPIAL baseball coaches in each classification for 2025