Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules: Games of Tuesday, May 15, 2018

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, May 13, 2018 | 5:19 PM

Class 6A

First round

No. 5 Norwin (10-6) vs. No. 12 North Hills (5-9)

2 p.m. Tuesday at Plum

Coaches: Brian Mesich, Norwin; Libby Gasior, North Hills

Winner plays: No. 5 North Allegheny (13-7)/No. 12 Bethel Park (10-5) winner

Players to watch: Hailee Culbertson, Norwin (Jr., SS); Anna McNickle, North Hills (Sr., P)

Extra bases: Norwin has some impressive wins of late, downing third-seeded Latrobe, Class 4A No. 2 Yough and Class 5A No. 4 Franklin Regional. Norwin lost to Shaler, 6-1, in the first round last year in its return to the playoffs after a three-year absence. Catcher Sara Russell, an IUP recruit, had two hits in that game for the Knights. … North Hills takes a six-game losing streak into the playoffs. The Indians reached the second round last year and gave unbeaten Hempfield a game before losing 3-2. Then-junior Madison Posterivo went 2 for 3 in that game against Hempfield star pitcher Morgan Ryan.

Class 4A

No. 4 Belle Vernon (17-3) vs. No. 13 Uniontown (3-11)

7 p.m. Tuesday at Latrobe

Winner plays: No. 12 Derry (5-9)/No. 5 Ambridge (8-5) winner.

Coaches: Tom Rodriguez, Belle Vernon; Steve Forsythe, Uniontown

Players to watch: Bailey Parshall, Belle Vernon (Sr., P); Mercedes Sickles, Uniontown (So., OF)

Extra bases: Belle Vernon is the returning WPIAL champion and has plenty of talent to make a run at a repeat, led by Parshall, the WPIAL leader in strikeouts. The Penn State recruit struck out 23 in a game this season. The Leopards have won 13 of their last 14 games, including seven via shutout. … Uniontown was one of the six teams that made the playoffs from log-jammed and top-heavy Section 1. The Red Raiders have only one win since April 13 and have been shut out six times.

No. 12 Derry (5-9) vs. No. 5 Ambridge (8-5)

7 p.m. Tuesday at Baldwin

Winner plays: No. 4 Belle Vernon (17-3)/No. 13 Uniontown (3-11) winner

Coaches: Patrick Meloy, Derry; Jim Huwar, Ambridge

Players to watch: Kam Kelly, Derry (So., C/3B); Allison Garrison, Ambridge (Sr., CF)

Extra bases: Derry overcame a season-ending injury to star shortstop and Penn State recruit Chelsea Bisi to make the playoffs out of Section 1, where the Trojans tied for the final playoff spot with Highlands and Uniontown. Sophomore Kam Kelly leads the team with 11 RBIs. … Ambridge finished second in Section 3 behind No. 3 seed Beaver Area. The Bridgers made the semifinals last year and lost to Yough, 7-1, and then to Mt. Pleasant, 12-3, in the third-place game.

Tags: Ambridge, Belle Vernon, Derry Area, North Hills, Norwin, Uniontown