What to watch for in WPIAL sports for June 2, 2025: PIAA baseball, softball playoffs begin

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, June 1, 2025 | 9:34 PM

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Not only is the sixth month of the year underway, but one of the final athletic events on the school calendar begins Monday with the first pitch of the PIAA baseball and softball championships.

The Seneca Valley baseball team just captured the program’s fifth WPIAL championship.

Now it begins its quest for a third PIAA title.

The Raiders’ first crown came 30 years ago.

Seneca Valley defeated District 10 Franklin in 13 innings, then WPIAL foes Bethel Park and North Catholic in the quarters and semis before winning state gold by shutting out Williamsport, 4-0.

The Raiders won a second title 12 years later when they scored eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat Souderton in the 2007 PIAA title game 9-1.

On Monday, Seneca Valley (17-6) will host District 10 champion McDowell (17-5) at 4 p.m.

Here is a rundown of the other 18 WPIAL teams in action Monday.

Class 5A baseball

The last time Shaler won a WPIAL championship two years ago, the Titans followed it up with the 2023 PIAA Class 5A crown.

Shaler (17-6) hopes to sweep district and state gold for a third time in program history starting Monday when it hosts Conestoga Valley (13-10) from District 3 at Matulevic Field at 4 p.m.

The Titans also captured the WPIAL and PIAA championships in the same spring 45 years ago when they swept Class 3A gold in 1980.

The Buckskins were the No. 12 seed in the District 3 5A playoffs and upset Twin Valley and Exeter Township before losing in the semifinals to Palmyra, 10-3, before falling in the D-3 third-place consolation game to Elizabethtown, 1-0.

The other three 5A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Pine-Richland (20-4) will face undefeated District 6 winner Central Mountain (15-0) at 4 p.m. at Lock Haven University.

• Bethel Park (19-5) will battle District 9 champion DuBois (14-7) at 6:30 p.m. at Showers Field in DuBois.

• Peters Township (15-9) will visit District 3 champion Lampeter-Strasburg (19-5) at 4 p.m.

Class 4A baseball

Indiana played in its first district championship last year, losing to North Catholic in the 4A finals 7-5.

After the loss, Indiana rebounded to defeat Bellefonte, 3-0, East Pennsboro, 6-5, and Fleetwood, 10-3, to reach the 4A state championship game.

There the Little Indians once again settled for silver after falling to Holy Ghost Prep, 6-5.

Indiana returned to the WPIAL championship this spring and needed 11 innings to beat Elizabeth Forward and win its first title 4-2.

Now it is hoping for a similar run through the PIAA postseason.

On Monday, Indiana (22-1) will once again meet Bellefonte (12-8) in the state opener, this time at 4 p.m. at White Township Park in Indiana.

The District 6 champion Raiders have won five straight including a shutout of Juniata in the District 6 finals 10-0 and a whitewash of Obama Academy in a PIAA preliminary-round game 15-0.

The other two 4A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Elizabeth Forward (16-4) heads to Showers Field in DuBois to face District 9 champion Punxsutawney (17-4) at 4 p.m.

• Central Valley (13-11) travels north to play District 10 winner Cathedral Prep (17-5) at 2 p.m. at Mercyhurst University in Erie.

Class 3A baseball

The WPIAL school with the most PIAA baseball championships is Riverside.

The Panthers have captured state gold five times under legendary coach Dan Oliastro.

The first came 20 years ago when Riverside defeated Brookville, Sharspville, North Catholic and Halifax to capture the 2005 2A state championship.

The Panthers repeated in 2006, won back-to-back state crowns again in 2011 and 2012, and their most recent PIAA title was in 2023.

The program will attempt to sweep district and state championships for the fourth time, having done it in 2006, 2011 and 2023.

Riverside (17-2) will host a first-round game when it welcomes District 6 runner-up Huntingdon (16-5) at 4 p.m.

The Bearcats lost to Forest Hills in the district finals in 10 innings 2-1.

The other three 3A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Quaker Valley (15-7) will have an early first pitch when it visits District 5 champion Bedford (13-9) at 11 a.m.

• South Park (15-7) heads east to Sidman to take on District 6 winner Forest Hills (14-4) at 4 p.m.

• Mohawk (12-11) has a short trip north to Slippery Rock University to face District 10 champ Titusville (18-3) at 4:30 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

Class 2A baseball

Freedom will try to put the celebration of winning its first WPIAL title behind it as it prepares for a rare trip to the PIAA postseason.

The Bulldogs are in the state playoffs for the third time in program history and still in search of their first win — and their first run.

In 2006, Freedom fell to Bedford in the 2A first round 2-0.

Eleven years later, following a loss to California in the district finals, the Bulldogs were blanked by Bishop McCort, 4-0.

Freedom (15-7) gets a shot at sweet revenge Monday when it battles Bishop McCort (13-8) in the opening round at 4:30 p.m. at Neshannock.

The Crimson Crushers lost big in the D-6 finals when they fell in 6 innings to Mount Union, 11-1.

The other two 2A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (15-8) will visit District 5 winner Tussey Mountain (13-10) at 4 p.m.

• Riverview (15-7) travels north to Mercyhurst University in Erie to go up against District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep (22-1) at 4:30 p.m.

Class A baseball

It has been 14 years since Serra Catholic won its only PIAA baseball championship.

After not winning a third straight WPIAL title, the Eagles defeated Elk County Catholic in the first round 11-5, Bishop Carroll in the quarterfinals 6-3 and Mercyhurst Prep in the semifinals 11-4.

In the 2011 PIAA Class A championship game, the Eagles blanked Reading Central Catholic, 4-0.

Now Serra Catholic (20-3), fresh off earning the WPIAL crown, prepares to battle District 9 runner-up Clarion (14-6) at 4 p.m. at Norwin.

The Bobcats fell to DuBois Central Catholic in the district finals 4-1, ending a five-game winning streak.

The other three Class A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Carmichaels (15-5) will take on District 6 champion Homer-Center (19-5) at 6 p.m. at First Commonwealth Field in Homer City.

• Eden Christian Academy (16-5) travels northeast to play District 9 winner DuBois Central Catholic (18-3) at 4 p.m. at Stern Field in DuBois.

• Greensburg Central Catholic (17-4) heads north to face District 10 champ West Middlesex (12-8) at 2 p.m. at Slippery Rock University.

Class 6A softball

After missing out on the PIAA postseason last spring, Hempfield returns in search of that of that elusive “one for the thumb.”

The program has won the most PIAA softball championships of any WPIAL school with four.

The Spartans’ first state crown came in 1999 after edging Williamsport in the finals 2-1.

They then won PIAA titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The search for No. 5 begins Monday for Hempfield (21-1) when it hosts District 6 champion State College (11-8) at 4 p.m.

The Little Lions earned their spot in the bracket by beating District 10 winner McDowell in the preliminary-round contest 1-0.

Class 5A softball

Shaler is one of six WPIAL schools to win multiple PIAA championships.

However, for the Titans, it’s becoming ancient history.

You have to go back two decades to when Shaler won titles in three straight years.

It began when the Titans beat Chambersburg to win the 2004 state crown.

It continued with a 9-inning win in the 2005 finals over Hempfield.

The Titans’ golden run concluded with a shutout of Hatboro-Horsham in 2006 to win another 4A state title.

On Monday, Shaler (18-4) opens the chase for double-gold when it hosts the No. 4 team out of District 3, Twin Valley (20-5), at 2 p.m.

The other three 5A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Penn-Trafford (20-3) visits District 6 champion Central Mountain (15-1) at 4 p.m.

• West Allegheny (16-5) makes the long trek east to play at District 3 runner-up Solanco (24-2) at 4 p.m.

• North Hills (17-6) also hits the road eastward to challenge District 3 champion Red Land (19-3) at 4:30 p.m.

Class 4A softball

Freshly minted WPIAL 4A champion Hampton will look to add a PIAA title to its first WPIAL crown.

The Talbots reached the district finals a year ago, lost to Elizabeth Forward and then were one and done in the state playoffs, losing to District 9 winner St. Mary’s in the opening round 2-0.

They will once again square off with a champion from District 9, but this time the travel is a lot easier.

Hampton (17-4) will return to the site of their district title celebration at North Allegheny to welcome Punxsutawney (10-5) at 4 p.m.

The Chucks won the district crown with a narrow victory over Clearfield, 6-5.

The other two 4A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Blackhawk (14-6) will go up against District 6 champ Bellefonte (16-2) at 4:30 p.m.

• Elizabeth Forward (16-5) could be a team worth watching as it heads north to Penn State Behrend in Erie to battle District 10 winner Fort LeBoeuf (17-3) at 2 p.m.

Class 3A softball

Mohawk softball coach Hank Pezzuolo says the first PIAA playoff game after a trip to the WPIAL finals is the hardest game of the year.

He found out the hard way last season.

After beating South Park to capture the program’s first district championship, the Warriors lost to Harbor Creek in the first round of the state playoffs 7-1.

Mohawk (16-5) will try again Monday when it hosts District 9 champion St. Mary’s (17-3) at 5 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

The Flying Dutch eliminated Northwestern last week before falling to District 10 champion Sharon for seeding purposes.

The other two 3A district teams are on the road.

• Speaking of Sharon (21-1), the District 10 winners will take on WPIAL runner-up South Park (20-1) at 4 p.m. at Slippery Rock University.

• Avonworth (16-5) travels east to visit District 6 champion Bald Eagle (19-3) at 4:30 p.m.

Class 2A softball

Records are made to be broken … but by the same team?

The all-time WPIAL softball winning streak is 48 straight wins set by the 2022-23 Neshannock teams.

The junior and seniors on the current team that helped set that mark are now looking to break it.

The Lancers’ WPIAL title game win over Chartiers-Houston on Thursday not only delivered a fourth straight district crown, it also tied the record of 48 straight wins, a run that began on opening day last season.

Since the start of the 2022 season, the program has lost only once, to Everett in the 2023 PIAA semifinals.

Neshannock (22-0) will look to set a new district winning streak record when it hosts District 10 runner-up Sharpsville (14-8) in the opening round at 5 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

The Blue Devils lost to Seneca in the district title game last week 14-5.

The other three 2A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Chartiers-Houston (20-2) will visit District 9 champion Cranberry (13-4) at 4 p.m.

• Riverside (10-9) travels to Penn State Behrend to take on District 10 winner Seneca (20-1) at 4 p.m.

• Bentworth (10-11) is on the eastern half of the 2A bracket as it opens with a visit to District 6 champ West Shamokin (19-4) with audio on Trib HSSN.

Class A softball

The Union softball program has had great success recently.

The Scotties have played in four straight WPIAL championship games, winning three of them, including this season.

Now they are hungry for the missing piece: a PIAA crown.

Last year, Union lost in the first round to DuBois Central Catholic, 6-1, and three years ago it was ousted in the quarterfinals by Saegertown in eight innings.

The closest it came was in 2023 when it defeated Berlin-Brothersvalley, West Branch and Claysburg-Kimmel to reach the state finals.

There, the Scotties lost to Tri-Valley, 6-3.

On Monday at noon, Union (19-2) hosts the No. 3 team from District 6, Purchase Line (13-9) with audio on Trib HSSN.

The other two Class A district teams are on the road.

• WPIAL runner-up Carmichaels (16-1) visits District 5 winner Berlin-Brothersvalley (19-3) at 4:30 p.m.

• West Greene (16-4) heads north to Slippery Rock University to take on District 10 champion Cambridge Springs (15-2) at 6 p.m.

Tags: Avonworth, Bentworth, Bethel Park, Blackhawk, Carmichaels, Central Valley, Chartiers-Houston, Eden Christian, Elizabeth Forward, Freedom, Greensburg C.C., Hampton, Hempfield, Indiana, Mohawk, Neshannock, North Hills, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Riverside, Riverview, Seneca Valley, Serra Catholic, Shaler, South Park, Union, West Allegheny, West Greene