Westmoreland County baseball notebook: Postseason series format could be gaining steam

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | 3:52 PM

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Imagine a best-of-three baseball series to determine who advances in the WPIAL playoffs, or a two-out-of-three set to decide a championship.

Coaches have been clamoring for the concept since 2021 when the WPIAL went to three-game series in Class 6A and two-game series in the other classes for regular-season section play.

Bob Bozzuto, the head of the WPIAL baseball steering committee, was the originator of the idea for postseason series and still believes it can take shape.

“I hope so,” Bozzuto said. “If it is to happen, it would be the next two-year cycle.”

Local coaches are pushing for series in the postseason. Many agree that because the format is used in the regular season, it also should be used in the playoffs.

“When the two-, three-game series came out a few years ago, I was not a fan,” longtime Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said. “But I have changed my mind and like series. I think the three-game would be the best but see how it could definitely be an issue with pitching, especially with small schools.

“You definitely will get to see who the best team is, not just who has a great pitcher. The problem is pitching depth, especially with a three-game series.”

Jeannette coach Marcus Clarkson also sees value beyond a one-and-done tournament.

“More baseball? Absolutely, I love that idea,” Clarkson said. “Also, I been around long enough to see teams ride one pitcher to a championship and without a limit sometime and that doesn’t personify the team aspect of baseball.”

Big inning

Norwin took it to Woodland Hills, scoring more runs than it had in its previous four games in an 18-0 win in their series opener.

The game lasted only three innings because Norwin had a monster inning. The Knights scored 16 times in the second.

Matt O’Neil hit a grand slam for the Knights.

On the run

Mt. Pleasant is showing a knack for scoring runs in bunches.

The team posted its fifth game of nine or more runs when it downed Yough, 12-2. The Vikings are quietly in contention for the Section 3-3A title. They average 7.7 runs, the most in Section 3.

They have allowed 69 runs, but that number is skewed by a 25-0 loss in Florida.

Close games

Monday had its share of one-run games and walk-offs.

• Avella beat Jeannette, 5-4, on Chas Rush’s go-ahead RBI in the seventh.

• Tyler Smith ripped a walk-off RBI single for Ligonier Valley in a 3-2 win over Burrell.

• Penn State commit Anthony Grippo scored on a walk-off wild pitch as Greensburg Central Catholic defeated Carmichaels, 6-5.

• Trinity clipped Penn-Trafford, 5-4, in a nonsection game.

• Derry edged Highlands, 1-0.

Rank and file

Three Westmoreland teams remain a part of the TribLive top-five rankings.

Franklin Regional sits at No. 4, one spot up from last week, in Class 5A.

Belle Vernon had the highest spot among area teams at No. 2 in 4A, while Greensburg Central Catholic is No. 4 in Class A.

Top performers

Derry’s Max Doherty and Cason Long combined to shut out Highlands, 1-0. Doherty worked 6²⁄₃ innings and gave up five hits while striking out eight and walking two, and Long came on for the save.

• Mt. Pleasant’s Dane Firmstone had two doubles and three RBIs in a 12-2 win over Yough.

• Brayden Wardzinski of Norwin had two doubles and five RBIs in an 18-0 win over Woodland Hills.

• Jack Stynchula hit the go-ahead two-run single in the ninth and picked up the pitching win as Latrobe edged Franklin Regional, 4-2, in extras.

Leps fall

Belle Vernon fell from the ranks of the undefeated with a 7-0 loss to Elizabeth Forward.

With the Leopards (8-1) losing, there were only two undefeated baseball teams left in the WPIAL.

Indiana and Waynesburg were 9-0.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford