What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 11, 2022: Neighboring Class 5A baseball powers clash

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, April 10, 2022 | 7:14 PM

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Though there is a chance of rain, the temperatures are starting to rise, and just in time for a busy day of WPIAL baseball with 53 section games on Monday’s schedule.

Last year, one of the top races in district baseball was in Section 3-5A.

All six head-to-head games between Shaler, South Fayette and West Allegheny felt like postseason clashes.

It was appropriate they all split against each other and finished as tri-champions in the section.

All three teams are off and running again this spring with a combined record of 14-2.

The first showdown between the three takes place Monday when South Fayette visits West Allegheny.

The Lions and the Indians are a combined 10-0 overall this season, 2-0 in section play.

Last year, West Allegheny won at home, 7-3, and South Fayette prevailed the next day at home, 8-4.

Thus far, the Lions are winning with pitching, allowing only eight runs in their five victories.

West Allegheny flips the script with a powerful offense that is averaging more than seven runs per game.

Watch the game on Trib HSSN at 4:30 p.m.

6A parity

There are 12 teams in WPIAL Class 6A baseball, and half of them are 1-1 in section play.

Four teams in Section 1 and two in Section 2 split their first section series last week, possibly paving the way for a wild postseason chase.

Only three teams begin the second week of section play with 2-0 section records: Butler in Section 1; and Norwin and Mt. Lebanon in Section 2.

At least one will lose Monday as Norwin begins the home and home series at Wildcat Field in Mt. Lebanon.

Last week, the Knights won a wild, 17-14 game as part of a sweep of Baldwin while the Blue Devils took two from Canon-McMillan.

Last year, Norwin swept the series against Mt. Lebanon, winning a tight one on the road, 2-1 while rolling at home, 11-1.

Busy softball section slate

It will be busy on the district softball diamonds as well with 52 scheduled section matchups.

One of the top contests will be a showdown in Section 1-2A as Chartiers-Houston heads to Youthtowne to take on Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Both teams are tied for first place with 2-0 section records and are a combined 6-1 overall.

Last year, OLSH crushed Chartiers-Houston on the road, 14-5. However, in the final game of the regular season, the Buccaneers pulled out a 6-5 road victory over the first-place Chargers.

Both teams reached the playoffs but lost in the quarterfinals.

There are two other first-place softball showdowns.

Penn-Trafford takes its perfect 6-0 record to Thomas Jefferson (3-3). Both teams are 2-0 atop Section 2-5A.

There is an early three-way tie for the top spot in Section 3-3A between Southmoreland, Waynesburg Central and South Allegheny. On Monday, the first of the head-to-head matchups between the three schools takes place as the Scotties visits the Raiders.

Tags: Butler, Chartiers-Houston, Mt. lebanon, Norwin, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Shaler, South Fayette, Southmoreland, Thomas Jefferson, Waynesburg, West Allegheny