WPIAL softball playoffs
Class 5A
First round
1-Penn-Trafford (17-2) vs. 16-Moon (7-8)
5 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin
Winner plays: Winner of 8-Plum (14-5)/9-Chartiers Valley (11-6) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Cam Ponko, Penn-Trafford; Katie Demarco, Moon
Extra bases: Penn-Trafford is one of the hottest teams in the playoffs, winning 17 of its last 18 games. The Warriors, who are chasing their first WPIAL title, have scored 10 or more runs eight times but also have won four games by two or fewer runs. Ponko and Bella Rubbe are IUP commits, and Rilie Moors heads to Seton Hill. Pitcher Allyson Paulone has been steady and has appeared in the playoffs before. The Warriors have nonsection wins over four playoff teams: Thomas Jefferson, North Hills, Shaler and Connellsville. … Moon finished fourth in Section 3 behind West Allegheny, South Fayette and Chartiers Valley. The Tigers have 85 runs but have surrendered 105. DeMarco shows promise in the circle as a freshman.
5-Franklin Regional (14-6) vs. 12-Fox Chapel (11-6)
5 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny
Winner plays: Winner of 4-North Hills (15-4)/13-Baldwin (13-5) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Toryn Fulton, Franklin Regional; Jillian Haigh, Fox Chapel
Extra bases: Franklin Regional averaged nine runs and finished second to Penn-Trafford in Section 2. The Panthers have dropped two of three, with losses to Penn-Trafford and Mt. Pleasant, heading into the postseason. Division I players Toryn Fulton (South Florida) and Ciara Camacho (Kent State) lead the charge, but Adrianna Martz has been an offensive spark plug as well, along with Ceana Copeland. The pitching rotation has added depth this season, but Chloe Lancaster is the anchor. The Panthers have only three seniors. … Fox Chapel had a .500 record (6-6) in a tough Section 1 and took fourth behind Shaler, North Hills and Plum. The Foxes, who started 4-0, have played only twice since April 28 because of postponements. Haigh is the pitcher and top hitter for the Foxes, who have wins over 6A teams Norwin and Butler.
14-Latrobe (10-8) vs. 3-West Allegheny (13-4)
5 p.m. Monday at Plum
Winner plays: Winner of 6-Thomas Jefferson (12-6)/11-Armstrong (13-7)
Players to watch: Mya McHugh, Latrobe; Ava Henke, West Allegheny
Extra bases: Latrobe was a semifinal team last season and lost to Thomas Jefferson, 4-2. The Wildcats have lost four of their last six going into the tournament, but that includes a meat-grinder stretch during which they played Franklin Regional, Armstrong and Penn-Trafford in a row. They have a win over 6A Norwin, 3A Mt. Pleasant and defending 5A champion Armstrong. Coach Bob Kovalcin led the Wildcats to WPIAL titles in 2007, ’08 and ’11, along with two PIAA runner-up finishes. Sara Blossey, McHugh, Julia Bulebosh and Natalie Scekeres are key bats in the order. … West Allegheny lost to Latrobe in last year’s quarterfinals, 5-4, also as the No. 3 seed. The Indians are on a seven-game winning streak. A strong nonsection schedule included Hempfield and Chartiers-Houston. Henke, the pitcher and an offensive leader, has helped the Indians hold opponents to 2.8 runs a game.
Class 4A
First round
8-Derry (10-6) vs. 9-Greensburg Salem (11-5)
3 p.m. Monday at Norwin
Winner plays: 1-Elizabeth Forward (14-2) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Sophia Doherty, Derry; Alle Scarpa, Greensburg Salem
Extra bases: Derry was moved up to Class 4A this season and merged seamlessly. The Trojans took second in Section 1 behind Knoch and returned to the postseason. Doherty, a Carnegie Mellon commit, Francesca DePalma and Haylee Myers provide much of the offensive pop, and Myers has been strong in the circle. Last week, she struck out 13 in a 4-2 loss to 5A No. 1 seed Penn-Trafford. The Trojans have lost three in a row, including a 9-5 loss to Greensburg Salem. … Greensburg Salem split with Derry, falling 3-2 early in the Section 1 schedule, but sees the Trojans for a third time in a rare first-round matchup of section opponents. The Golden Lions, who are led by Scarpa, started 6-1. Scarpa has more than 400 career strikeouts and carries a heavy bat. Cate Waughaman and Hannah Olbeter also are dangerous. The Golden Lions pounded Southmoreland in their final regular-season game, 21-5. Greensburg Salem lost in the first round last year.
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11-Belle Vernon (9-11) vs. 6-Beaver (13-5)
6 p.m. Monday at Pleasant Valley Elementary School, McMurray
Winner plays: 3-Knoch (17-3) in quarterfinals
Players to watch: Kylee Sypolt, Belle Vernon; Olivia Peabody, Beaver
Extra bases: Belle Vernon, a perennial playoff team, finished fourth in Section 2 behind Elizabeth Forward, West Mifflin and Uniontown. The Leopards are led by veteran coach Tom Rodriguez, who is in his 24th season. Sypolt is one of several power hitters for the Leopards. Other top hitters include Mailey Hayes, Mia Zubovic, Katie Sokol, Lauren VanDivner and Bella Williams. Lily Crawford is the ace pitcher who depends on her defense. The Leopards played a few games at James Weir Stadium this season as the football field was converted to a diamond. … Beaver didn’t make the playoffs last year but rallied to take second place in Section 3 behind Hampton. Beaver averages 9.7 runs, having scored 176, the second most in 4A behind Knoch (202). The Bobcats have 15 home runs, including four each by Abby Hojdila, Olivia Peabody and Sami Springman. Peabody has 30 RBIs, and Springman and Bridget Mayo have 23 apiece.