WPIAL softball playoffs
Class 3A
First round
6-Burrell (10-8) vs. 11-Charleroi (5-12)
3 p.m. Thursday at Norwin
Winner plays: 3-Mt. Pleasant (13-4) on Monday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Shelby Novak, Burrell; Lyla Brunner, Charleroi
Extra bases: A win for Burrell on Thursday would give it a third crack at Mt. Pleasant after the Section 1 champion Vikings took the two matchups from the Bucs in the regular season. Burrell finished 7-3 in the section to claim the runner-up spot and a return to the WPIAL playoffs after a one-year hiatus. Burrell faced higher-classification playoff qualifiers Derry, West Mifflin, Armstrong, Knoch, North Hills and Shaler in the regular season, and coach Brandon Daughtry said those games helped his team prep for postseason play. Novak, a junior, has led the Bucs from the pitching circle and at the top of the lineup with sophomore Addy Wojtczak, senior Tina Gural and junior Cayla Brothers among those providing pop in the middle of the batting order. … Charleroi placed fourth in Section 3 at 4-6 behind champion South Park and fellow playoff qualifiers Keystone Oaks and McGuffey. The Cougars hope to snap a three-game losing streak from the end of the regular season after sweeping East Allegheny to clinch its playoff berth. Charleroi did take Class 4A No. 6 Laurel Highlands to the limit April 27 before falling 4-3. Shortstop Ariahna Blouse, third baseman Nori Stringa-Smith, and second baseman Rya Dipietrantonio each had two hits in that game. The Cougars also lost a pair of one-run games to Keystone Oaks. Charleroi fell to Deer Lakes, 7-0, in last year’s 8-9 matchup.
Class 3A
First round
7-Keystone Oaks (15-4) vs. 10-Deer Lakes (7-12)
5 p.m. Thursday at Plum
Winner plays: 2-Mohawk (14-5) on Monday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Ella Thomas, Deer Lakes; Kennadi Smith, Keystone Oaks
Extra bases: Thursday’s first-round contest is a rematch of a 13-0 Keystone Oaks victory from April 24. … Deer Lakes ran a challenging gauntlet of games against the Eagles, Knoch, Fox Chapel, Ligonier Valley and Plum to close the regular season. Setbacks in those games followed a key 2-1 win over Ligonier Valley on April 22 that helped the Lancers clinch the fourth-place spot from Section 1 to the WPIAL playoffs. Thomas, a junior, was solid that day with just six hits given up over seven innings. Sophomore second baseman Riley Jones, who doubled twice in that game, is one to watch in the Deer Lakes lineup. The Lancers made the WPIAL quarterfinals last year with a 7-0 shutout of Charleroi. Deer Lakes fell to No. 1 South Park in the round of eight. …. Keystone Oaks tied McGuffey for second place (7-3 records) in Section 3 behind South Park (10-0). The Eagles won nine in a row to close the regular season and averaged 10.3 runs over their 19 games. Smith, a leading pitcher and hitter for Keystone Oaks, is a Chatham commit. Center fielder Kylie Stahl will play at Saint Vincent. Senior infielders Nina Buckley (.437, 24 RBIs) and Kailyn Brannon (.438, 22 RBIs) also pace the Eagles’ offensive attack. Last year, Keystone Oaks, as the No. 12 seed, upset No. 5 Mt. Pleasant, 2-0, before falling to No. 4 Avonworth in the quarterfinals. The Eagles are seeking their first WPIAL title.
Class 2A
First round
11-Apollo-Ridge (8-6) vs. 6-Shenango (14-5)
6:30 p.m. Thursday at Seneca Valley
Winner plays: Winner of 3-Bentworth (17-2)/14-Burgettstown (7-7) on Monday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Jocelyn Snyder, Apollo-Ridge; Brianna Aluisia, Shenango
Extra bases: Apollo-Ridge tied Brentwood for second place (7-3) in Section 2 behind champion South Allegheny. The Vikings won four in a row before a high-scoring loss to Class 5A playoff qualifier Kiski Area on May 5 to close the regular season. The first game of the winning streak was a 10-4 victory over Brentwood that saw Snyder, a senior, hit two home runs and drive in six. Snyder also struck out 11 while scattering six hits. Sophomore infielder Mikaila Ditty also paces Apollo-Ridge from the cleanup spot, and sophomore center fielder Madison Hugley is one to watch at the plate and in the outfield. The Vikings outdueled OLSH by a 9-8 score in last year’s 8-9 first-round matchup before falling to No. 1 Neshannock in the quarterfinals as the Lancers went on to claim the WPIAL title. … Shenango, as the No. 13 seed, shook up last year’s Class 2A bracket with a 7-2 first-round upset of No. 4 Frazier. Its run came to an end in the quarterfinals with a low-scoring loss to No. 12 Bentworth. The Wildcats are back in the postseason on the strength of a tie with Neshannock for second place (9-3) behind Laurel (10-2) in a competitive Section 1 race. Shenango averaged nine runs over its 19 regular-season games. Aluisia has been one of the most powerful hitters in Class 2A this season. She is batting .540 (34 of 63) with 27 RBIs, nine doubles, five home runs and 20 runs scored.
Class A
First round
12-Leechburg (2-9) vs. 5-Jefferson-Morgan (14-6)
3 p.m. Thursday at Gateway
Winner plays: 4-Serra Catholic (12-5) on Monday in quarterfinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Emilee Kostyak, Leechburg; Ava Wood, Jefferson-Morgan
Extra bases: Several rainouts prevented Leechburg from playing more than 11 games in the regular season. The Blue Devils earned a pair of victories over The Ellis School in Section 3 play to secure the No. 4 spot in the five-team section. Leechburg extended its WPIAL-record streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 39. Starting pitcher Adalyn Zanotto was lost with an injury suffered in basketball season, and several other players have dealt with injuries. Sophomore shortstop and team co-captain Emilee Kostyak, freshman first baseman/utility Bianca Linkes, and freshman pitcher/utility Brooke Cuffia have helped carry the load. … Jefferson-Morgan finished third in Section 2 behind perennial playoff contenders Carmichaels and West Greene. The Rockets averaged eight runs over 20 games and surrendered 4.5 a contest. Jefferson-Morgan won three of four to close the regular season. Last year, as the No. 5 seed, the Rockets topped No. 12 Greensburg Central Catholic and No. 4 Sewickley Academy before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual WPIAL champion Union in the semifinals. Jefferson-Morgan has four players hitting over .400 with Wood, a senior, leading the way with a .460 average (29 of 63) and 12 RBIs. Sophomore Gabriella Marmie has a team-best 25 RBIs, five doubles and six home runs.