Westmoreland WPIAL baseball playoff capsules for Tuesday, May 25, 2021
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Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 1:15 PM
WPIAL baseball playoffs preview
Tuesday’s games
Class 5A
Semifinals
1-Franklin Regional (17-1) vs. 13-Peters Township (10-10)
4 p.m. at Latrobe
Coaches: Bob Saddler, Franklin Regional; Rocky Plassio, Peters Township
Winner plays: Winner of 2-Bethel Park (17-3)/3-West Allegheny (17-3) on June 1 or 2 in WPIAL championship at Wild Things Park, Washington
Players to watch: Louis Kegerreis, Sr., IF, Franklin Regional; Jack Natili, So., C/P, Peters Township
Extra bases: It took two days for No. 1 Franklin Regional to defeat Mars in the quarterfinals. A lighting issue at North Allegheny forced the game to be suspended Friday with the score tied 5-5. The game was moved to Fox Chapel on Saturday, and the Panthers struck for three runs in an 8-5 victory. The Panthers are strong in all three phases of the game: hitting, defense and pitching. FR relies on the 1-2 pitching punch of seniors Brian Pirone (Seton Hill recruit) and Luke Treloar (Cal, Pa.). Some of the top hitters include Louis Kegerreis, Trevor Brncic, Tim Quinn and Andrew Muraco (Coastal Carolina). Quinn delivered the winning hit against Mars, a two-run single in the sixth inning. Peters Township stunned South Fayette, 6-4, in the first round of playoffs and followed with an impressive 9-5 victory against Latrobe. Sam Miller and Tucker Ferris homered for the Indians. Jack Kail opened the game with a triple, and he scored on a Mac Ciocco hit. Ciocco went 4 for 4 against South Fayette, and Natili homered.
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Class 6A
Semifinals
2-Norwin (14-3) vs. 3-Hempfield (14-7)
6:30 p.m. at Latrobe
Coaches: Mike Liebdzinski, Norwin; Tim Buzzard, Hempfield
Winner plays: Winner of 1-North Allegheny (18-3)/5-Butler (14-6) on June 1 or 2 in WPIAL championship at Wild Things Park, Washington
Players to watch: Eric Chorba, Sr., OF, Norwin; Phil Fox, Sr., OF/P, Hempfield
Extra bases: This game was rained out Monday and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader with the 5A game. Norwin and Hempfield finished as co-champions of Section 2-6A, and they split their season series with the Knights winning 3-0 at home and the Spartans returning the favor three days later, 4-1. Norwin used a two-run home run by Jayden Walker, and Ty Stecko added a two-run single as Norwin defeated Seneca Valley, 4-2, in the quarterfinals Saturday at West Mifflin. Pitcher Jake Bazala earned his eighth win of the season. … Hempfield used a three-run home run from sophomore Gage Wheaton to rally the Spartans from a 3-1 deficit in a 6-4 victory against Central Catholic. Christian Zilli pitched the final two innings to earn the win. He also went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Hempfield has never reached the finals.
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Tags: Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Norwin, Peters Township
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