Baseball playoff implications abound in Saturday’s 3 things to watch in high school sports

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 4, 2018 | 10:33 PM

One team still has hope for a share of the section title while the other is fighting for a playoff spot.

There are plenty of questions left unanswered heading into the final few days of baseball in Section 1-2A and some of those answers may be coming when Beth-Center hosts Fort Cherry at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Fort Cherry (8-4) is a game and a half behind first-place Carmichaels (10-3) and a half-game behind Chartiers-Houston (9-4) after losing to the Bucs 6-5 in eight innings on Friday. Fort Cherry trailed 3-1 going into the seventh when it rallied to take the lead with three runs. Chartiers-Houston tied it in the bottom of the seventh and then after the Rangers regained a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, the Bucs scored two to win it.

Beth-Center (7-5) is a half-game behind California (8-5). A loss would eliminate the Bulldogs from the section playoff chase, where only Carmichaels and Chartiers-Houston have clinched. Fort Cherry will clinch with a victory.

The game can be heard here on the TribLive High School Sports Network .

Playoff-bound Saturday matchups

Four playoff-bound baseball teams will conclude their section schedules Saturday afternoon.

In Section 3-6A, both Peters Township and Canon-McMillan have qualified for the playoffs and will wrap up section play at the place where they hope to play again later this month, Wild Things Park in Washington.

The Big Macs (8-3) are locked into second place behind Bethel Park. The Indians (6-5) will finish in third place win or lose. If they win, they will finish alone in third place. If they lose, they will tie Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair for third.

The game can be heard at 1 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network .

In Section 3-3A, Waynesburg is at Charleroi.

Both the Raiders (7-4) and Cougars (7-4) are tied for second place, a half-game ahead of Mt. Pleasant (7-4) and two and a half games behind section champion Brownsville (10-2).

The winner finishes second, while the loser falls into a tie for third with the Vikings.

East/West Sunday football

Every young football player dreams of playing on Sundays. Several district football players will get that chance at an all-star event Sunday at Mansion Park in Altoona.

The annual East/West football all-star game will feature some of the top seniors across Pennsylvania divided by the middle of the commonwealth.

The West will feature 21 WPIAL football players and will be coached by Pine-Richland's Eric Kasperowicz, with the help of among other assistant coaches, Mark Washington of Hopewell.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Beth-Center, Canon-McMillan, Charleroi, Fort Cherry, Hopewell, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Washington