What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 25, 2022: Baseball, softball playoff hunt begins

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, April 24, 2022 | 9:13 PM

Purchase Photo Options

The final full week of April sees the chase for playoff spots in both WPIAL baseball and softball heat up.

Most baseball sections have a couple of teams fighting for first and a group of other schools battling for playoff spots.

Then there is Section 1-6A.

Outside of winless Allderdice, the other five teams are squeezed together, separated only by one game.

Coming into the week, Butler, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland are 4-2 in the section. Seneca Valley and Central Catholic check in at 3-3.

In fact, outside of the playing the Dragons, all of the section series have been split with the exception of Pine-Richland taking two from Seneca Valley.

On Monday, Pine-Richland hosts Allderdice, Seneca Valley travels to Central Catholic and North Allegheny visits Butler.

Another logjam is Section 4-3A, where four teams are tied for first place with 3-2 records. All four face each other Monday and Tuesday.

Monday’s schedule features Charleroi at Southmoreland and Yough at Waynesburg Central.

More baseball

Some other key section games set for Monday around WPIAL baseball include:

* Shaler at West Allegheny in Section 3-5A. The host Indians are in first place, two games up on the Titans, who can move into a tie for first place with wins Monday and Tuesday.

* Beaver at Montour in Section 2-4A. The host Spartans and Bobcats are 14-0 combined in the section and 18-2 overall.

* Uniontown at West Mifflin in Section 3-4A. The visiting Red Raiders trail the first-place Titans by one game.

* Beth-Center at Bentworth in Section 1-2A. Both the visiting Bulldogs and Bearcats are tied for first place along with Carmichaels at 3-1.

Softball standouts

The top four softball teams in Section 2-4A will start the week going at each other.

One game in the loss column separates Elizabeth Forward (4-1), Yough (4-1), West Mifflin (6-2) and Belle Vernon (2-2).

On Monday, EF is at Belle Vernon and Yough hosts West Mifflin.

Other key softball games include:

* North Hills at Fox Chapel in Section 3-5A. The Indians (5-1) and Foxes (3-1) fight for sole possession of first place, and defending champion North Hills tries to avenge their only loss.

* South Allegheny at Southmoreland in Section 3-3A. The first-place Gladiators (4-0) visit the Scotties (3-1).