WPIAL baseball playoffs
Class 5A
First round
2-Penn-Trafford (15-5) vs. 15-Fox Chapel (12-8)
4 p.m. Tuesday at Plum
Winner plays: Winner of 7-Franklin Regional (15-6)/10-South Fayette (11-9) on May 19 in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Aiden Drotos, Penn-Trafford; Noah Hughes, Fox Chapel
Extra bases: The Warriors won their final five games to win Section 1-5A. They lost to Connellsville in the 2025 playoffs after winning their first WPIAL title in 2024. Senior pitcher Dom Delio is 6-1 with a 2.07 ERA. Junior Drotos is 5-2 with a 1.90 ERA. Sophomore Tanner Destefano is hitting .456 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 33 RBIs. Jordon White is hitting .484 with four doubles. … The Foxes finished fourth in Section 3. Milan Fluhme batted .373 with 17 stolen bases and 10 RBIs. Pitcher Blake Krushinski is 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA and Hughes is 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA.
7-Franklin Regional (17-5) vs. 10-South Fayette (11-9)
6:30 p.m. Tuesday at West Mifflin
Winner plays: Winner of 2-Penn-Trafford (15-5)/15-Fox Chapel (12-8) on May 19 in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Luke Williams, Franklin Regional; R.J. Borgesi, South Fayette
Extra bases: Franklin Regional lost three of its final four games. Senior shortstop Williams is hitting .465 with 25 hits, 21 RBIs, eight doubles, four triples and four home runs. Sophomore Tim Pirone is hitting .377 with 23 hits, 27 RBIs, eight doubles and four home runs. Sophomore pitcher Anthony Mitchell is 2-0 with a 1.22 ERA. Junior Nico Fioravanti is 3-2. … South Fayette is led by sophomore Borgesi, who is hitting .485 with 11 RBIs. Evan Mizia has 12 RBIs. Pitcher Trey Skeen is 2-1. The Lions finished second in Section 2 with a 7-5 record.
6-Latrobe (17-3) vs. 11-Bethel Park (12-8)
6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Plum
Winner plays: Winner of 3-Thomas Jefferson (16-4)/14-Mars (8-11) on May 19 in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Cole Short, Latrobe; Michael Bruckner, Bethel Park
Extra bases: Short is batting .411 with 12 doubles and 21 RBIs for the Wildcats, who tied for second in Section 1 with Plum at 9-3. Noah Noel is hitting .409 with 16 RBIs. Grady Ruffner is batting .362 with 19 RBIs. Short is 7-2. … Bethel Park’s Michael Bruckner was the winning pitcher against Central Mountain in a nonsection game last week. He also had two hits, a home run and four RBIs in the game. Brayden Bruckner had two hits and two RBIs against Trinity. The Black Hawks have won four consecutive games, including victories against Class 6A Canon-McMillan and Mt. Lebanon.
Class 3A
First round
8-Mt. Pleasant (12-8-1) vs. 9-Charleroi (11-9)
4 p.m. Tuesday at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park, Washington
Winner plays: Winner of 1-Avonworth (15-5)/16-Waynesburg (7-12) on May 19 in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Dane Firmstone, Mt. Pleasant; Brock Henderson, Charleroi
Extra bases: Sophomore pitcher/shortstop Bobby Smithnosky (.490), senior infielder Ian Shipley (four home runs) and junior outfielder Santino Marne (22 RBIs) lead the Vikings. Smithnosky has 41 strikeouts with a 2.47 ERA, and Jordan Grief has 21 strikeouts. The Vikings finished second in Section 3-3A. … The Cougars are coming off an 11-9 win against Serra Catholic. Jake Corvin drove in two runs with a double, Jaxson Korenko had three RBIs and Henderson tripled. The Cougars tied for second place with Keystone Oaks in Section 4.
14-Ligonier Valley (10-10) vs. 3-Ellwood City (15-3)
4 p.m. Tuesday, Pullman Park, Butler
Winner plays: Winner of 6-Mohawk (14-5)/11-Burrell (10-9) on May 19 in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Miles Smith, Ligonier Valley; Aaron Lake, Ellwood City.
Extra bases: The Rams finished fourth in Section 3. Pitcher Smith has a 1.69 ERA and is hitting .345 with 11 RBIs. Noah Knupp is hitting .316, and Austin Harr is hitting .340. … Ellwood City and Mohawk tied for the Section 1 title. Wolverines pitcher Lake is 6-0 with a 0.76 ERA. He hit .385 with 21 RBIs and five home runs. Catcher Jordan Keller batted .489 with 21 RBIs, 10 doubles and four home runs.