WPIAL softball playoffs
Class 3A
Quarterfinals
6-Burrell (11-8) vs. 3-Mt. Pleasant (13-4)
5 p.m. Monday at Gateway High School
Winner plays: Winner of 7-Keystone Oaks (16-4)/2-Mohawk (14-5) Friday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Tina Gural, Burrell; Dani Trainer, Mt. Pleasant
Extra bases: Section 1 opponents will meet for a third time this season. Burrell pulled past No. 11 Charleroi in the first round 6-3 as Gural doubled and had three RBIs, and pitcher Shelby Novak earned a complete-game win as she allowed eight hits, struck out eight and walked six. Gregg and Addy Wojtczak made highlight catches for Burrell in the seventh inning. The Buccaneers didn’t make the playoffs last year. Their most recent semifinal appearance was in 2023. … Mt. Pleasant had a first-round bye and gets back to action after a lengthy layoff. The Section 1 champion Vikings have dropped three straight games, all to quality, higher-classification teams: Connellsville, Penn-Trafford and Thomas Jefferson. Mt. Pleasant took both section games from Burrell during the regular season by scores of 8-2 and 12-2 (6 innings). Kendra Brunson is hitting .544 with 31 hits, including four home runs, and 21 RBIs. Sadie Poole (.467) has 23 runs scored. Jenna Whipkey (.446) and Emma Miller (.426) are also hitting over .400. The team has 33 doubles. Trainer, who also is a key hitter, is 11-4 with a 3.25 ERA and 87 K’s.
Class A
Quarterfinals
8-Jeannette (11-3) vs. 1-Union (16-2)
3 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny
Winner plays: Winner of 5-Jefferson-Morgan (14-6)/4-Serra Catholic (12-5) Thursday in semifinals (time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Abby Shaw, Jeannette; Irelyn Fisher, Union
Extra bases: Jeannette made quick work of No. 9 Bishop Canevin in the first round with a 10-0 win in six innings. Grace Stein improved to 11-3 and is now within three strikeouts of 200 for the season. She also belted a three-run homer. Reese Brennan doubled and drove in three runs, and Raylyn Gallik went 3 for 4. Jeannette has lost to Union twice in the quarterfinals in the last three years, including last year (10-0 in 5 innings). Jeannette also picked up a run-ruled win in the first round last year, 13-3 over Avella in six innings. … Union is a Class A power with three WPIAL titles, in 2025, ‘23 and ‘22. The Scotties also won a PIAA title last year. They have outscored opponents 208-45 (11.5-2.5 runs per game). They allowed seven runs in 10 section games. Their losses are to Montour and West Allegheny. Fisher is batting .509 with 28 hits, including nine home runs, 30 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Nevaeh Hunt, a freshman, has a .477 average with eight doubles, five homers and 20 RBIs. Olivia Williams bats .625 with 35 hits, 12 doubles and 29 runs, and Maddie Settle has 27 runs and Erykah Reighert 26.