What to watch for in WPIAL sports on April 18, 2024: Class 6A baseball series wrap up

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | 11:48 PM

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The big closet located downstairs of the WPIAL Class 6A baseball mansion contains four brooms and one large rubber band.

Four 6A teams hit the diamonds Thursday looking to sweep this week’s three-game section series with only one series going to a rubber game.

How will Hempfield (7-1, 11-1) respond to its first loss of the season when it hosts Canon-McMillan (4-4, 4-6)?

The Spartans won their 11th game in a row Monday when they defeated the visiting Big Macs, 6-3.

However, Canon-Mac responded in a big way, rolling at home over Hempfield, 12-2, thanks to a homer and three RBIs by the Teddy Burke.

The Spartans’ lead in Section 2-6A is down to one game over second place Mt. Lebanon, while the Big Macs are in third place, a half-game in front of Norwin and one game ahead of Central Catholic.

Two other Section 2 teams and two Section 1 schools are trying to earn a section series sweep.

• Two-time defending champion Mt. Lebanon (6-2, 9-3) has outscored Norwin (3-4, 5-6) in two wins this week, 7-3. Thursday they play at Norwin.

• Central Catholic (3-5, 6-6) is back in the playoff hunt after two high-scoring wins over Baldwin (0-7, 1-10) by a combined score of 18-11. The Highlanders at Vikings game is set for the No Off-Season Facility in Russelton.

• Section 1 leader North Allegheny (5-0, 8-0) visits Allderdice (0-7, 1-8) after the Tigers slayed the Dragons earlier this week by scores of 14-4 and 13-1.

• As expected, Pine-Richland (6-1, 10-2) and Seneca Valley (3-2, 5-3) have played a couple of barn burners with the Rams edging the Raiders in a pair of one-run games, 3-2 and 5-4. The final game is on the turf in Harmony.

Let’s finish this thing

Last week, two of the top teams in Section 1-A baseball tried but could not play their scheduled two-game section series.

Finally, they collide with a share of the top spot in the section up for grabs as Carmichaels (6-0) visits Fort Cherry (5-1).

The Mighty Mikes are the only team in the section that has not lost a section contest, improving to 4-0 after two wins this week against California.

The Rangers are a game back at 3-1 following a split of their two games against Avella.

Game 2 is slated for Greene County on Friday afternoon.

5A softball showdown

On a busy day of district section softball, a share of first place is at stake in Fayette County as Connellsville (7-3) hosts defending 5A champion Trinity (7-2).

The Hillers are 3-1 in the section and have won three straight and seven of their last eight.

They are deadlocked with the Falcons, who are 3-1 in the section and riding a three-game win streak into this home game.

Thomas Jefferson is in the mix as well with a record of 3-2 in the section, 5-4 overall after losing to Trinity on Wednesday, 14-6.