WPIAL adopts 2-game series for section baseball schedules, reveals realignment
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Monday, May 18, 2020 | 7:10 PM
The WPIAL adopted a revamped baseball schedule Monday meant to keep teams from pitching their ace twice against the same section opponent.
Now, rather than play every team once and then rematch later in the season, WPIAL baseball teams will play a two-game series on consecutive days against every section opponent.
“Baseball is designed for series, and it creates a great deal of interest,” said North Allegheny athletic director Bob Bozzuto, chairman of the WPIAL baseball committee.
The change requires added strategy because teams must decide how to manage their pitching staffs, he said.
The new format was approved on the same day the WPIAL board released updated baseball and softball section alignments for the 2021 season.
The schedule change affects only baseball. Softball remains the same.
“You’ll see who has the better baseball team,” WPIAL associate executive director Amy Scheuneman said. “A lot of times, the team with the better pitcher used that pitcher both times around. Now, rivals schools will be able to play their No. 1 pitcher against another No. 1 and the No. 2 pitchers against each other.”
The baseball committee also recommended adding three-game semifinal and championship series in the WPIAL postseason, but that suggestion was not approved.
The revamped baseball schedules will be released next week. Softball schedules will arrive this week.
The new section alignments include a number of changes.
In baseball, Class 5A, 3A and 2A expanded from three sections to four. Class 6A shrunk from three sections to two.
The WPIAL gave the baseball committee more freedom this year to decide the number of sections in each classification, Bozzuto said. The smaller sections have better balance, he said.
In softball, Class 5A expanded from three classifications to four.
Basketball qualifiers
Basketball sections with eight teams will receive an extra playoff qualifier next season, the WPIAL board decided Monday.
Sections with seven or fewer teams will receive the customary four qualifiers. Sections with eight teams will receive five.
The rule impacts only three sections overall.
Baseball
Class 6A
Section 1
Allderdice, Butler, Central Catholic, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley
Section 2
Baldwin, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, Norwin, Upper St. Clair
Class 5A
Section 1
Franklin Regional, Gateway, Kiski Area, Latrobe, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford
Section 2
Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Mars, Penn Hills, Plum, Woodland Hills
Section 3
Chartiers Valley, Moon, North Hills, Shaler, South Fayette, West Allegheny
Section 4
Albert Gallatin, Bethel Park, Connellsville, Peters Township, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity
Class 4A
Section 1
Burrell, Freeport, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, North Catholic
Section 2
Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Montour, New Castle, Quaker Valley
Section 3
Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg Salem, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Class 3A
Section 1
Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Freedom, Hopewell, Mohawk, New Brighton
Section 2
Avonworth, Keystone Oaks, South Allegheny, South Park, Steel Valley
Section 3
Deer Lakes, Derry, East Allegheny, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Valley
Section 4
Brownsville, Charleroi, McGuffey, Southmoreland, Waynesburg, Yough
Class 2A
Section 1
Bentworth, Beth-Center, California, Carmichaels, Frazier, Washington
Section 2
Aliquippa, Laurel, Neshannock, Riverside, Shenango, South Side, Summit Academy
Section 3
Apollo-Ridge, Jeannette, Northgate, Serra Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Sto-Rox
Section 4
Brentwood, Burgettstown, Carlynton, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Fort Cherry, Seton LaSalle
Class A
Section 1
Avella, Cornell, OLSH, Quigley, Rochester, Union, Western Beaver
Section 2
Bishop Canevin, Geibel, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen, West Greene
Section 3
Eden Christian, Leechburg, Riverview, St. Joseph, Sewickley Academy, Springdale
Softball
Class 6A
Section 1
Baldwin, Bethel Park, Canon-McMillan, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township
Section 2
Butler, Hempfield, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley
Class 5A
Section 1
Armstrong, Franklin Regional, Indiana, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Plum, Woodland Hills
Section 2
Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Gateway, Latrobe, Penn-Trafford, Thomas Jefferson
Section 3
Fox Chapel, Hampton, Mars, North Hills, Oakland Catholic, Shaler
Section 4
Chartiers Valley, Moon, South Fayette, Trinity, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny, Western Beaver
Class 4A
Section 1
Burrell, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Knoch, McKeesport
Section 2
Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin, Yough
Section 3
Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hopewell, Montour, New Castle
Class 3A
Section 1
Deer Lakes, Derry, East Allegheny, North Catholic, Shady Side Academy, Valley
Section 2
Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Quaker Valley, South Park
Section 3
Brownsville, McGuffey, Mt. Pleasant, South Allegheny, Southmoreland, Waynesburg
Class 2A
Section 1
Aliquippa, Burgettstown, Carlynton, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, OLSH, Sto-Rox
Section 2
Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, Serra Catholic, Seton LaSalle, Steel Valley
Section 3
Bentworth, Beth-Center, California, Carmichaels, Charleroi, Frazier, Washington
Section 4
Freedom, Laurel, Mohawk, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside, Shenango
Class A
Section 1
Bishop Canevin, Cornell, Quigley, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, South Side, Union
Section 2
Avella, Geibel, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen, West Greene
Section 3
Ellis School, Leechburg, Northgate, Riverview, St. Joseph, Springdale
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
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