What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 23, 2025: Baseball, softball semifinalists try it again

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, May 22, 2025 | 10:30 PM

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Is the third time a charm?

What started out as Semifinals Wednesday and then Thursday, has now morphed into Final Four Friday in the district diamond playoffs thanks to Mother Nature and her tears of joy.

The Class A, 2A and 3A baseball and softball semifinals are finally set to become reality with a few changes here and there from the original schedule.

When it comes to district softball this spring in the three lowest classifications, the two most northern and most southern counties in the WPIAL are dominating.

Heading into the softball semifinals Friday, there are 12 teams still alive for gold in Class A, 2A and 3A.

More than half of those teams come from Lawrence or Greene counties.

The breakdown is four from Lawrence County (Mohawk, Ellwood City, Neshannock, Union), three from Greene County (Carmichaels, Jefferson-Morgan, West Greene), two from Allegheny County (Avonworth, South Park), two from Washington County (Bentworth, Chartiers-Houston) and one from Beaver County (Riverside).

Those dandy dozen were all winners in the quarterfinals Monday and are now one victory away from playing for a district championship next week.

They also have now earned a safety net knowing that Friday won’t be their last game of the season.

The six teams that come up short in the semifinals will have a chance to earn a spot in the PIAA playoffs in their classification’s consolation game. (Except for the Class 2A final four teams, which have all clinched a state postseason berth since the WPIAL sends four teams to the PIAA tournament in that class and only three in 3A and A.)

Here is the softball schedule for Friday:

Class 3A

• No. 1 South Park (19-0) takes on No. 4 Avonworth (15-4) at Pleasant Hills Elementary School in Peters Township now at noon. Both teams had first-round byes with the Eagles shutting out Deer Lakes in the quarterfinals, 10-0, and the Antelopes ousting Keystone Oaks, 7-1.

• No. 2 Mohawk (14-5) will face section rival No. 3 Ellwood City (11-8) at Neshannock at 4 p.m. on Trib HSSN. Both teams enjoyed opening-round byes with the Warriors edging Southmoreland in the quarters, 8-6, and the Wolverines blanking McGuffey, 8-0. In the regular season, Mohawk swept Ellwood City, winning by scores of 6-5 and 6-2.

Class 2A

• No. 1 Neshannock (20-0) goes up against No. 12 Bentworth (10-9) has been moved to Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Peters Township at 7 p.m. on Trib HSSN. The Lancers have knocked off Burgettstown and Apollo-Ridge by a combined score of 29-2, while the Bearcats have upended South Allegheny and Shenango by scores of 9-1 and 3-1. This is a rematch of the 2024 WPIAL 2A title game when Neshannock shut out Bentworth, 3-0.

• No. 2 Chartiers-Houston (19-1) tries to avoid the upset when it takes on No. 11 Riverside (9-8) now at Montour at 5 p.m. with audio on Trib HSSN. The Buccaneers have outscored Brentwood and Seton LaSalle in the first two rounds, 21-1, while the Panthers have upset Waynesburg and Laurel by scores of 14-4 and 11-1.

Class A

• No. 1 Union (17-2) will battle No. 5 Jefferson-Morgan (10-6) now at Montour at 3 p.m. with audio on Trib HSSN. The Scotties had a first-round bye and then blanked Jeannette, 10-0. The Rockets first defeated Greensburg Central Catholic, 14-4, and shut out Sewickley Academy in the quarters, 5-0.

• No. 2 Carmichaels (15-0) will face a familiar foe when it takes on rival West Greene (15-3) at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Peters Township now at 5 p.m. Both teams had first-round byes and then the Mighty Mikes pitched a shutout against Serra Catholic in the quarters, 9-0, while the Pioneers edged South Side, 7-6. Carmichaels beat West Greene twice in the regular season by scores of 9-1 and 6-1.

Unexpected foursomes

A postseason bracket that goes as expected with the top four seeds reaching the semifinals is considered “chalk.”

In the three lowest classifications in baseball, these tournaments are a lot like the modern day classroom, sans chalk.

The Class A, 2A and 3A baseball playoffs have reached the final four and things have not gone as expected.

Of the top four seeds in the three tournaments, only four of the 12 have survived two rounds.

That includes the 2A top seed in Neshannock, which lost Tuesday to Freedom in a quarterfinal stunner.

Will more eyebrows be raised Friday?

Here is the baseball semifinals lineup for Class A, 2A and 3A:

Class 3A

• No 1. Riverside (15-2) plays No. 5 South Park (13-6) at Plum at 4 p.m. On Tuesday, the Panthers blanked Burrell, 11-0, and the Eagles flew past Waynesburg, 11-1.

• No. 7 Quaker Valley (14-6) goes up against No. 11 Mohawk (12-9) at Seneca Valley at 6 p.m. with audio on Trib HSSN. The Quakers upset Avonworth on Tuesday, 1-0, and the Warriors stunned Ellwood City, 3-1.

Class 2A

• No. 8 Freedom (12-7) faces a familiar foe in No. 12 Laurel (10-10) now at Neshannock at 4 p.m. with audio on Trib HSSN. Both teams registered upsets Tuesday in the quarterfinals when the Bulldogs surprised top seed Neshannock, 3-0, and the Spartans shut out Shenango, 6-0.

• No. 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (14-7) goes up against section foe No. 6 Riverview (14-6) at Joe Maize Field in Peters Township at 4 p.m. with audio on Trib HSSN. The Chargers eliminated New Brighton in the quarters, 8-0, and the Raiders edged Burgettstown, 2-1.

Class A

• Top seed Serra Catholic (18-3) will clash with No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic (17-2) at Gateway at 4 p.m. The Eagles blew past Jefferson-Morgan, 11-1, and the Centurions crushed two-time defending champion Bishop Canevin, 16-1.

• No. 2 Eden Christian Academy (15-4) will battle No. 6 Carmichaels (13-4) at Gateway at 7 p.m. The Crusaders blanked Avella, 6-0, and the Mighty Mikes bounced Leechburg, 6-3.

Golden sticks II

It is Day 2 of the WPIAL boys and girls lacrosse championships at Panthers Stadium at Upper St. Clair.

On Friday, the most dominant Class 2A lacrosse programs are looking for a championship sweep for a third straight year.

Mars has won a combined 11 district crowns, eight for the boys and three for the girls.

Is eight enough?

In the boys Class 2A title match, No. 2 Mars (17-2) will battle No. 1 South Fayette (19-0) at 8 p.m.

The Fightin’ Planets are trying to keep alive one of the longest championship streaks in WPIAL history as a victory would give them a ninth consecutive district crown.

However, they are in the rare role of underdog against the undefeated and top-seeded Lions.

Mars had a first-round bye before shutting out Bethel Park in the quarterfinals, 18-0, followed by a 13-6 win over Hampton in the semifinals.

South Fayette also had a bye, rolled past Indiana in the quarters, 17-4, and then beat Peters Township in the semis on Monday, 12-5.

This is a clash between the two 2A section champions.

Mars’ only two losses this season were to 3A powers Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair.

The rematch

In the girls Class 2A championship match, No. 1 Mars (18-1) goes up against No. 3 Chartiers Valley (15-3) at 6 p.m. in a rematch of the 2024 finals.

The two-time defending champion Fightin’ Planets enjoyed a first-round bye, ousted Oakland Catholic in the quarterfinals, 7-1, and then defeated Blackhawk in the semifinals Monday, 13-8.

The Colts also had an opening-round bye, knocked off South Fayette in the quarters, 9-3, and edged Quaker Valley in the final four, 10-8.

This is the second meeting of the year between these Section 2-2A foes.

On April 17, Mars defeated Chartiers Valley, 12-8.

Last spring, the Fightin’ Planets knocked off the Colts in the championship match, 14-6.

Boys consolation

The last of four district consolation matches will take place Friday.

For the third and final PIAA Class 3A boys lacrosse playoff berth, Upper St. Clair (11-7) will host North Allegheny (10-9) at 4 p.m.

The match features the two teams that finished second in their 3A sections.

The two played in a nonsection match April 3 with the Panthers beating the Tigers, 10-7.

Second chance volleys

Call it the second chance match.

The four teams that fell in the district semifinals Tuesday meet at Gateway in the WPIAL 3A and 2A consolation matches Friday.

The winner of both matches will qualify for the upcoming PIAA boys volleyball playoffs.

In the Class 3A consolation match, Pine-Richland (11-6) will battle Penn-Trafford (12-7) at 7:30 p.m.

In the 2A consolation match, South Fayette (15-5) goes up against Mars (10-11) at 6 p.m. The Fightin’ Planets edged the Lions earlier this season, 3-2.