Of the 12 district diamond playoff tournaments, only one does not have a 2025 winner in the field.
WPIAL baseball will crown a new Class 5A champion in two weeks after last spring’s winner, Shaler, failed to qualify for the 2026 postseason.
The team that Titans defeated in extra innings a year ago is now wearing the bull’s-eye as Pine-Richland prepares to open the postseason as the top seed in 5A.
The Rams were perfect in winning the Section 3-5A crown this season by three games over runner-up West Allegheny.
Kurt Wolfe’s club finished the regular season with a record of 15-5 without a loss against 5A competition.
The Rams have won four straight and six of their last seven games.
No. 1 Pine-Richland will take on No. 16 Connellsville at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway.
The Falcons are 9-11 and one of only two sub-.500 teams in the 5A field along with 8-10 Mars.
The boys from Fayette County overcame a six-game losing streak earlier this year and finished the regular season winning three of their last four games, including a sweep of Gateway, to earn fourth place in Section 4-5A.
Connellsville was a No. 11 seed last spring when it upset Penn-Trafford in the opening round.
There are seven other first-round Class 5A games Tuesday:
• Two old neighboring rivals collide when No. 8 Montour battles No. 9 West Allegheny at Boyce-Mayview Field in Upper St. Clair at 6:30 p.m. Both teams finished second in their respective sections. The Spartans are 15-5 and were runners-up in Section 4-5A and the Indians are 12-8 and finished second to top-seeded Pine-Richland in Section 3-5A.
• No. 4 Moon squares off against No. 13 Baldwin at Joe Maize Field in Peterswood Park in Peters Township at 6:30 p.m. The Tigers were the champions of Section 2-5A with an overall record of 15-4 while the Highlanders ended up in third place in Section 4-5A with a mark of 11-8.
• No. 12 Upper St. Clair will be in the hunt for an upset when playing No. 5 Plum at Gateway at 4 p.m. The Panthers swept Chartiers Valley in the final Section 2-5A series to tie for third place with a 11-9 record while the Mustangs entered the final week tied for first place and settled for a tie for second place in Section 1-5A with an impressive 17-3 record.
• No. 15 Fox Chapel challenges No. 2 Penn-Trafford at Plum at 4 p.m. The Foxes are 12-8 and finished in fourth place in Section 3-5A while the Warriors are 15-5 and a sweep over Franklin Regional last week gave them the outright Section 1-5A title.
• No. 7 Franklin Regional goes up against No. 10 South Fayette at West Mifflin at 6:30 p.m. Both cats had a shot at first place in their sections coming down the stretch. The Panthers are 13-6 and finished fourth in Section 1-5A while the Lions are 11-9 and were runners-up in Section 2-5A.
• No. 3 Thomas Jefferson takes on No. 14 Mars at Boyce-Mayview Field in Upper St. Clair at 4 p.m. The Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the field, winning five straight and 13 of their last 14 to finish 16-4 and win the Section 4-5A crown. The Fightin’ Planets are 8-10 but finished third in Section 3-5A after a section series sweep of Shaler last week.
• No. 6 Latrobe collides with No. 11 Bethel Park at Plum at 6:30 p.m. It’s a battle of black and orange as the Wildcats finished tied for second place in Section 1-5A with a record of 17-3 and the Black Hawks ended up tied for third place in Section 2-5A with a 12-8 mark.
Big birds battle
The WPIAL Class 3A baseball playoff open up Tuesday with two birds of prey colliding in a first-round battle of former section rivals.
No. 5 South Park takes on No. 12 Keystone Oaks at Joe Maize Field at Peterswood Park in Peters Township at 4 p.m.
Only 3.7 miles separate the schools, yet for the last two seasons, the blue-and-while Eagles have played in Section 2-3A while the black-and-gold Golden Eagles have been in Section 4-3A.
In the previous four years, these programs squared off twice a year as members of Section 2-3A.
South Park dominated the rivalry. From 2021-2024, the teams played eight section games and Keystone Oaks got KO’d.
The Eagles were a perfect 8-0 and outscored the Golden Eagles 96-21 with the 10-run rule kicking into effect in five of the eight meetings.
Keystone Oaks is hoping for better results after finishing 9-9 this season and tying Charleroi for second place in Section 4-3A.
The Golden Eagles lost their first four games this season, but they rebounded and have won two straight and five of their last seven games.
South Park was close a year ago, losing in the 3A semifinals to eventual champion Riverside in 12 innings, 1-0.
This year, the Eagles are 12-5 and were runners-up to Avonworth in Section 2-3A after being swept by the Antelopes in their section series finale.
There are seven other 3A first-round games Tuesday:
• Top seed and 2024 champion Avonworth plays No. 16 Waynesburg at Ross Memorial Park at the W&J Sports Complex in Washington at 6:30 p.m. The Antelopes are 15-5 and champions of Section 2-3A and have yet to lose to a Class 3A team. The Raiders ended up in fourth place in Section 4-3A with a 7-12 record.
• No. 8 Mt. Pleasant battles No. 9 Charleroi at Ross Memorial Park at the W&J Sports Complex in Washington at 4 p.m. The Vikings were the runner-up in Section 3-3A with a record of 12-8 while the Cougars were tied for second place in Section 4-3A at 10-8 overall.
• No. 4 Freeport takes its nearly perfect resume up against 2025 Class 3A finalist No. 13 Quaker Valley at Deer Lakes at 4 p.m. The Section 3-3A champion Yellowjackets won their first 17 games this season but lost their regular season finale to Valley. After finishing with silver in 3A a year ago, the Quakers are 9-10 this season after finishing in fourth place in Section 1-3A.
• No. 2 Seton LaSalle is challenged by No. 15 South Allegheny at West Mifflin at 4 p.m. The Rebels won Section 4-3A by four games with a 15-2 record and have won eight consecutive games. The Gladiators are 8-9 following a fourth-place finish in Section 2-3A.
• No. 7 Riverside takes on No. 10 Shady Side Academy at North Hills at 4 p.m. The defending champion Panthers are 10-7 and finished in third place behind Ellwood City and Mohawk in Section 1-3A. The Bulldogs took third place in Section 2-3A behind Avonworth and South Park with a record of 11-8.
• No. 3 Ellwood City is set to face No. 14 Ligonier Valley at Pullman Park in Butler at 4 p.m. The Section 1-3A co-champion Wolverines are 15-3 and had win streaks of seven and five in a row earlier this season. The Rams are 10-10 and beat out Yough in a tiebreaker for fourth place in Section 4-3A with four wins in their last six games.
• No. 6 Mohawk plays No. 11 Burrell at Pullman Park in Butler at 6:30 p.m. The Section 1-3A co-champion Warriors are 13-5 despite splitting their last six games, and the Buccaneers are 10-9 following a third-place finish in Section 3-3A.
Two to the final four
The WPIAL Class 6A softball playoffs are super small, with six teams and only five games total.
The tournament has two quarterfinals Tuesday, two semifinals a week from Tuesday and then the championship game in more than two weeks.
In the one quarterfinal, No. 4 Canon-McMillan faces No. 5 Mt. Lebanon at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Peters Township at 6 p.m.
The Big Macs are 8-10 this season while the Blue Devils check in at 8-11.
However, the teams in the second half went in different directions.
Canon-Mac lost 10 of its last 13 games while Lebo has won five straight and seven of its last nine.
The winner faces top-seeded Hempfield on May 19.
The other quarterfinal pits No. 3 Norwin against No. 6 Pine-Richland.
The Knights are 10-8 this season, and the Rams check in at 8-12.
Norwin swept the season series by beating Pine-Richland, 8-5 and 7-3.
The winner meets No. 2 Seneca Valley on May 19.
West meets east again
The WPIAL softball Class 5A playoffs begin with a full slate, including a rematch of a 2025 opening-round matchup.
No. 4 West Allegheny is slated to play No. 13 Latrobe for a second straight postseason at Gateway at 3 p.m.
A year ago, this contest was a No. 3 vs. No. 14 opening-round contest played at Plum.
Maddie Muchinsky was 3 for 4 as the Indians eliminated the Wildcats, 8-3. West A reached the semifinals before falling to eventual champion Shaler.
This season, West Allegheny is 12-3 and has won three straight and five of its last six.
The Indians finished in a tie for the Section 3-5A title with Montour.
Latrobe is 10-8 after going 3-3 in its final six games of the regular season.
The Wildcats finished in fourth place in Section 2-5A.
There are seven other Class 5A first-round games set for Tuesday:
• No. 1 Shaler plays No. 17 Moon at North Allegheny at 5 p.m. The defending 5A district champion Titans are 17-1 after winning the Section 1-5A crown. The Tigers defeated No. 16 Upper St. Clair, 5-4, in a preliminary round game Monday.
• No. 8 Armstrong goes up against No. 9 Fox Chapel at Plum at 3 p.m. Both teams finished as runner-ups in their section, the River Hawks in Section 2 and the Foxes in Section 1. Armstrong is 11-8 while Fox Chapel is 14-5.
• No. 5 Baldwin takes on No. 12 Kiski Area at Norwin at 3 p.m. The Highlanders finished one game behind TJ for first place in Section 4-5A and have an overall record of 16-4. The Cavaliers are 14-5 following a third-place finish in Section 2-5A.
• No. 2 Thomas Jefferson is challenged by No. 15 South Fayette at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Peters Township. The Jaguars won Section 4-5A with a record of 15-3 while the Lions finished third in Section 3-5A at 10-8 overall.
• No. 7 Trinity battles No. 10 Plum at Gateway at 5 p.m. The Hillers are the third-place team in Section 4-5A at 17-3, and the Mustangs tied Fox Chapel for second place with a record of 13-5 overall.
• No. 3 Penn-Trafford is set to face No. 14 Connellsville at Norwin at 5 p.m. The 2025 district runner-up Warriors are 17-3 after winning Section 2-5A, and the Falcons are 12-8 after a fourth-place finish in Section 4-5A.
• No. 6 Montour plays No. 11 North Hills at North Allegheny at 3 p.m. The Spartans earned a share of the Section 3-5A title with West Allegheny at 12-5 as the Indians were finishing in fourth place in Section 1-5A at 9-7.
Volleyball openers
The curtain rises on the WPIAL boys volleyball playoffs Tuesday with five first-round matches in Class 3A and five in 2A as well.
In 3A, Hempfield was a No. 4 seed in the 2025 opening round last spring when it faced No. 13 Upper St Clair.
The Spartans held serve and eliminated the Panthers, 3-1.
Now the tables have turned as the schools prepare to play each other again in the first round Tuesday as Upper St Clair is a No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Hempfield in Round 1 at 7 p.m.
The winner advances to the quarterfinals Thursday to visit No. 2 Butler.
In the other four 3A first round matches:
• No. 8 Peters Township hosts No. 9 Norwin at 7 p.m. The winner visits top-seeded North Allegheny on Thursday.
• No. 13 Gateway travels to face No. 4 Baldwin at 7 p.m.
• No. 12 Mt. Lebanon is at No. 5 North Hills at 7 p.m. The winner of the Gators-Highlanders match faces the Blue Devils-Indians winner in the second round.
• No. 6 Penn-Trafford welcomes No. 11 Fox Chapel at 7 p.m. The winner moves on to play at No. 3 Seneca Valley in the quarters.
In Class 2A, 10 years ago, tiny Beaver County Christian won the first of back-to-back boys volleyball championships when it ended the four-year title run of Ambridge.
Now in 2026, BCC is the No. 12 seed as it visits No. 5 Thomas Jefferson in a first-round match Tuesday.
The winner will move on to the quarterfinals to face the winner of the No. 13 Steel Valley at No. 4 Deer Lakes match at 7 p.m.
In the three other 2A first round matches:
• No. 8 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart hosts No. 9 South Park at 7 p.m. The winner advances to face top-seeded Shaler in the quarterfinals Thursday.
• No. 10 North Catholic visits No. 7 Montour at 7 p.m. The Trojans-Spartans winner faces No. 2 seed Seton LaSalle.
• No. 6 Derry hosts No. 11 Trinity at 7 p.m. with the winner moving on to play at No. 3 South Fayette on Thursday.
More lax playoff openers
The first round of the WPIAL lacrosse playoffs continue Tuesday with four girls 3A and four boys 2A opening-round contests.
In girls 3A:
• No. 8 Shaler hosts No. 9 Norwin at 7 p.m. with the winner challenging No. 1 Mt. Lebanon on Thursday.
• No. 12 Shady Side Academy visits No. 5 Penn-Trafford at 6 p.m. with the winner traveling to No. 4 Fox Chapel.
• No. 7 Bethel Park is home to No. 10 North Hills at 6 p.m. with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals to visit No. 2 Pine-Richland.
• No. 6 Moon battles No. 11 Peters Township at Chartiers Valley at 7 p.m. with the winner facing No. 3 Upper St. Clair Thursday.
In boys 2A:
• No. 9 Indiana visits No. 8 Shaler at 7 p.m. with the winner moving on to play at top-seeded Peters Township in the quarterfinals.
• No. 5 Sewickley Academy is home to No. 12 Chartiers Valley at Nichols Field in Sewickley with the winner advancing to visit No. 4 South Fayette in the quarters.
• No. 7 Penn-Trafford welcomes No. 10 Quaker Valley at 7:30 p.m. with the winner traveling to No. 2 Hampton on Thursday.
• No. 11 Latrobe travels to No. 6 Bethel Park at 7:30 p.m. with the winner playing at No. 3 Mars on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Tuesday on Trib HSSN
There are 14 broadcasts you can watch or listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the 12th day of May.
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: Baldwin vs. Moon at 6:30 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: South Fayette vs. Franklin Regional at 6:30 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Video Stream – Class 5A First Round: Fox Chapel vs. Penn-Trafford at 4 p.m. on the Westmoreland Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: Bethel Park vs. Latrobe at 6:30 p.m. on the Westmoreland Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A First Round: Keystone Oaks vs. South Park at 4 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A First Round: South Allegheny vs. Seton LaSalle at 4 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Video Stream – Class 3A First Round: Ligonier Valley vs. Ellwood City at 4 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Video Stream – Class 3A First Round: Burrell vs. Mohawk at 6:30 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A First Round: Shady Side Academy vs. Riverside at 4 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A First Round: Charleroi vs. Mt. Pleasant at 4 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 6A Quarterfinals: Mt. Lebanon vs. Canon-McMillan at 6 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: Latrobe vs. West Allegheny at 3 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: South Fayette vs. Thomas Jefferson at 4 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: Plum vs. Trinity at 5 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com