What to watch for in WPIAL sports for May 5, 2025: Spring sports ramp up playoff push as season winds down

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, May 4, 2025 | 9:32 PM

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Welcome to the final week of the regular season in WPIAL baseball, softball, lacrosse and boys volleyball.

In district baseball, things are tight near the top of Class 5A Sections 1 and 2.

In Section 1, while it doesn’t look like there will be a four-way tie for first place like last spring, only one game separates the top three teams.

Plum is alone in first place with a section record of 9-1, and Latrobe and Penn-Trafford are 8-2. Franklin Regional sits in fourth place with a section mark of 6-4.

All four have clinched WPIAL playoff berths.

In the start of the final section series Monday, Latrobe hosts Plum and Penn-Trafford visits Franklin Regional.

In Section 2, only first-place Bethel Park at 9-3 in the section and second-place Peters Township at 6-4 have clinched postseason spots.

South Fayette and Upper St. Clair are 5-5, Trinity and Moon are 4-6 and Chartiers Valley is 3-7.

On Monday, Upper St. Clair visits Chartiers Valley, while the other two section games are under the lights with Peters Township hosting South Fayette and Moon playing Trinity at the W&J College Complex.

Another section that has every game carrying playoff implications here in the final week is Section 1-4A.

Beaver is alone on top at 7-3 in the section, followed by Central Valley and Blackhawk at 6-4.

Ambridge is done with section games, having finished at 6-6, whereas North Catholic and Hopewell are alive at 4-6.

On Monday, Beaver hosts North Catholic, Central Valley is home to Hampton and Hopewell takes on Blackhawk at Chippewa Park.

Showdowns for 1st in 2A baseball

The Section 1-2A championship will be decided over the next two days with the series between Burgettstown and Fort Cherry.

Both teams are 9-1 heading into the final section series, and each has won 11 games overall.

The Blue Devils are 11-2 and had an eight-game winning streak snapped Thursday in a loss to McGuffey.

The Rangers are 11-4 overall and have won eight consecutive games.

They meet Monday at Burgettstown and Tuesday at Fort Cherry.

The Section 3-2A title will also be determined over the next two days with a series between Riverview and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

The teams are tied for first with 9-1 section records.

The Raiders are 12-3 and had a four game win streak end with a loss to Serra Catholic on April 24. They haven’t played since.

The Chargers are 11-6 overall and have won two straight and nine of their last 11 games.

They square off Monday in Clinton and Tuesday in Oakmont.

Softball key contests

With only a couple of days remaining in the WPIAL softball section schedule, Monday is a busy day around the district with plenty of intrigue and postseason positioning to be determined.

• In Section 1-5A, New Castle can tie Fox Chapel for fourth place and qualify for the playoffs if it wins on the road at first-place Shaler.

• In Section 2-5A, section champion Penn-Trafford hosts runner-up Franklin Regional.

• In Section 3-4A, two teams fighting for their playoff lives battle when Central Valley travels to Western Beaver.

• In Section 1-3A, Ligonier Valley looks to clinch a playoff berth when it visits Yough.

• In Section 2-A, Carmichaels looks to clinch the section crown outright when it visits a West Greene team that can earn a share of the title with a victory.

• In Section 3-A, Jeannette hopes to remain tied for first place when it visits a Leechburg team that hopes to continue its record-setting playoff streak.

Final 4 serves

The WPIAL boys team tennis postseason has reached the final four.

The district semifinals are set for Monday in both classifications.

The top four seeds advanced in Class 3A, where top seed and defending champion North Allegheny will face No. 4 Upper St. Clair and No. 2 Gateway takes on No. 3 Mt. Lebanon.

In Class 2A, No. 6 Hampton wears the Cinderella slipper after upsetting No. 3 Blackhawk in the quarterfinals.

The Talbots now battle No. 2 Valley, and top seed South Park will go up against No. 4 North Catholic.