What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 4, 2022: Softball playoff berths on the line

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 | 12:42 AM

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Win and you’re in. Those four words are sweet music to the ears of any high school team on the bubble as section play winds down.

In district softball, several teams can earn a playoff berth with a victory Wednesday — weather permitting, of course.

• In Section 1-6A, Baldwin hosts Peters Township as the Highlanders can earn a playoff berth with a victory, despite their 2-9 overall record. The Indians have already clinched.

• In Section 1-5A, the winner of Plum at Penn Hills game will clinch a playoff berth. If the Mustangs lose, they are out. If the Indians lose, they could still clinch with a Woodland Hills win over Plum on Thursday.

• In Section 1-2A, Fort Cherry and Carlynton can clinch if they pull off upsets Wednesday. The Rangers visit third-place Burgettstown while the Cougars are home to first-place Chartiers-Houston. If Fort Cherry and Carlynton both lose, they will still clinch after splitting their doubleheader Monday.

• In Section 1-A, Rochester can clinch with a win at home against Cornell. The Raiders need a win to stay alive for a postseason berth.

Lax clinchings

A pair of Westmoreland County rivals collide in boys lacrosse Wednesday with a playoff berth up for grabs when Penn-Trafford visits Hempfield.

Both teams are tied for fifth place with Canon-McMillan in Section 1-3A with 2-4 section records.

All three teams have two section matches remaining and the top six teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL boys lacrosse playoffs.

As far as the three-way tie goes, the Warriors own a victory over the Big Macs while the Spartans lost their match earlier to Canon-Mac.

On Wednesday, Canon-McMillan hosts second-place Upper St. Clair.

A couple of key Class 2A girls lacrosse section matches include Oakland Catholic (4-2) at Franklin Regional (4-4) in Section 1 and Quaker Valley (5-2) at Mars (5-1).

Team tennis makeups

Because of the wet forecast for Tuesday, the WPIAL pushed back the start of the 2022 Class 3A playoffs to Wednesday. Eight first-round matches are set as 15 district teams try to unseat Shady Side Academy as defending champion.

The first round matches are:

• Moon at Franklin Regional

• Kiski Area vs. Central Catholic at Norwin

• Allderdice at Upper St. Clair

• Pine-Richland at Shady Side Academy

• Chartiers Valley at North Allegheny

• Norwin at Fox Chapel

• Peters Township at Sewickley Academy

• Penn-Trafford at Mt. Lebanon

All the matches begin at 3 p.m.

The Class 2A quarterfinals are set for Thursday.

Tags: Allderdice, Baldwin, Canon-McMillan, Carlynton, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Cornell, Fort Cherry, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Kiski Area, Mars, Moon, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Oakland Catholic, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Plum, Quaker Valley, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, Upper St. Clair