Class 5A
Quarterfinals
10-Plum (14-5) vs. 2-Thomas Jefferson (16-3)
5 p.m. Tuesday at Gateway
Winner plays: Winner of 3-Penn-Trafford (18-3)/11-North Hills (10-7) on Thursday in semifinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Sydney Pici, Plum; Aubrey Shaffer, Thomas Jefferson
Extra bases: Plum defeated No. 7 Trinity, 12-2, in six innings Tuesday, and the victory snapped a seven-game playoff losing streak that extended to 2018. The Mustangs are ready to focus on the future and a shot at reaching the semifinals. Plum, which tied Fox Chapel for second place in Section 1, pounded out five home runs and had seven extra base hits overall in the win over the Hillers. The Mustangs surpassed their 9.8-run average from the regular season. Pici, Liana Yusko, Riley Stephans, Lily Deluca and Ava Bernosky connected on home runs. Stephans limited Trinity to four hits and one walk while striking out two over six innings. … Thomas Jefferson has surrendered just 37 runs over 19 games this season. The Jaguars advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory over No. 15 South Fayette in the first round Tuesday. Shaffer limited the Lions to three hits while walking four and striking out 15. She has 105 strikeouts on the season. Neither of South Fayette’s two runs were earned. Thomas Jefferson owns a victory over No. 3 Penn-Trafford, the Section 2 champion, and it split with No. 5 Baldwin on its way to clinching the Section 4 title (11-1). … The winner between the Jaguars and Mustangs also clinches a spot in the PIAA playoffs.
Class 4A
Quarterfinals
2-Knoch (16-2) vs. 7-North Catholic (13-5)
3 p.m. Tuesday at North Allegheny
Winner plays: Winner of 3-Blackhawk (10-4)/6-Laurel Highlands (11-5) on Thursday in semifinals (site and time TBD)
Players to watch: Emersyn Jones, Knoch; Dakota Hicks, North Catholic
Extra bases: Knoch begins its playoff run after an 11-day layoff. The Knights won 13 in a row to close the regular season since a loss to Indiana in Section 1 play. Knoch scored 10 or more runs in nine of those games. The Knights, whose only other loss this season came to Class 5A Plum in the season opener, are averaging 8.8 runs a game and captured the Section 1 title with an 11-1 record. Knoch completed a four-year section run at 39-5. The Knights bring an experienced lineup into the postseason. Knoch owns a .376 team batting average with Jones, a sophomore infielder, leading the way at .542 (32 of 59) with 21 RBIs, nine doubles and seven home runs. Junior Kaila Purcell is 6-0 with a 2.16 ERA while sharing pitching duties with Jones (3-0) and senior Marlee Fraser (2-2). … North Catholic needed 10 innings in its first-round game May 11, but Hicks came through with a walk-off, two-run double in a 5-4 victory over West Mifflin. Mary Kotwica went 3 for 4 with a double, two triples and an RBI for North Catholic, and Clare Kotwica gave up one unearned run with seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. The Trojans finished tied for second in Section 3 with Hampton at 9-3. Section champ and No. 3 seed Blackhawk won the section at 10-2, but both losses came against North Catholic (10-8 and 5-3). The Trojans’ win over West Mifflin last week avenged a first-round loss to the Titans in last year’s WPIAL tournament.