Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsule: Games for Tuesday, May 23, 2023

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, May 22, 2023 | 4:35 PM

Purchase Photo Options

WPIAL softball playoffs

Class 3A

Semifinals

2-Southmoreland (16-2) vs. 3-Waynesburg (16-3)

3 p.m. Tuesday at Peterswood Park, Venetia

Winner plays: Winner of 4-Burrell (13-5)/1-Avonworth (19-1) in championship (date, time TBD) at Cal (Pa.)

Players to watch: Taylor Doppelheuer, Southmoreland; Kendall Lemley, Waynesburg

Extra bases: It’s a matchup of former section foes. … Southmoreland mounted a furious seventh-inning rally to get past Yough in the quarterfinals. The Scotties put up seven runs in the last inning to out-slug the Cougars, 15-14, at Norwin. Makayla Etling went 4 for 5 with two triples and a home run, Maddie Brown added three hits, and Doppelheuer, Amarah McCutcheon, Gwen Bassinger, Brooke McBeth and Etling each drove in two runs. Freshman pitcher Zoey Murphy earned the win in relief of Brown. Southmoreland is in the semifinals for the third straight year. It lost to Ellwood City in 2021 and Avonworth last year. The Scotties have not been to the WPIAL finals since they won a title in 2018. … Waynesburg clipped 11th seed Ligonier Valley, 3-2, to reach the semis. Lemley earned the win as she struck out five and scattered six hits. Emma Zehner doubled and drove in three runs, while Gina Tedrow and Abby Davis also doubled. Waynesburg lost in the quarterfinals last year to Deer Lakes, 3-2. … Both teams have qualified for the state playoffs. The semifinal losers will play a third-place game for PIAA seeding.

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

Tags: Southmoreland, Waynesburg