Welcome to June and welcome to the opening round of the 2026 PIAA baseball and softball playoffs.
The PIAA has not yet announced the format for the 2027 and 2028 state baseball and softball playoffs or how many spots each district gets in each of the six classifications.
Hopefully, they will right a wrong from this past two-year cycle when it comes to how many District 7 teams qualify for the baseball and softball playoffs in Class 6A.
Last spring and this season, only the WPIAL champion qualified for the state playoffs.
That is based on the number of 6A teams in the WPIAL — 10 in baseball and eight in softball.
Those numbers should both go up a tad in the next two-year cycle, but it is hard to justify that the No. 6 seed out of District 1, which is made up of suburban Philadelphia schools, is better than the WPIAL runner-up.
A No. 6 seed lost in the D-1 quarterfinals.
Yes, D-1 has the most 6A schools and should have the most teams, but taking only one WPIAL team in 6A is odd, and, this year, North Allegheny baseball and Seneca Valley softball pay the price.
Now with feet off the soap box and back on solid ground, both WPIAL 6A champs prepare to hit the road.
Butler (19-3) baseball heads east to visit District 6 champion Mifflin County (14-5) at 4 p.m.
Hempfield (21-1) softball will travel north to take on District 10 winner McDowell (16-6) at the David Hanlon Sports Complex in Erie at 2 p.m.
Here are the 18 baseball and 17 softball teams from the WPIAL hitting the state ballfields Monday.
Baseball
While Butler is on the road to begin the state playoffs, the other five freshly minted WPIAL champions enjoy some home cooking in the opening round.
• For the second straight year, a massive crowd is expected at White Township Park in Indiana as the Little Indians begin their PIAA title defense against District 5 champion Somerset (16-5) at 4:30 p.m.
Indiana (18-4) has yet to give up a run in the postseason after district playoff shutout victories over Knoch (1-0), Derry (3-0) and Elizabeth Forward (4-0).
• Upper St. Clair’s wild run to a WPIAL Class 5A crown took them to Gateway, W&J Sports Complex, Joe Maize Field at Peterswood Park in Peters Township and back to Washington at EQT Park.
Now the Panthers return to the friendly confines of Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair.
USC (15-9) will host the No. 4 seed out of District 3, New Oxford (15-9) at 4 p.m.
The Colonials were the No. 8 seed in the D-3 playoffs when they first defeated Twin Valley before upsetting top-seeded Palmyra in the quarterfinals.
New Oxford lost to Lampeter-Strasburg in the semifinals and to Greencastle-Antrim in the third-place consolation game.
• Ellwood City (18-3) will host District 6 runner-up Philipsburg-Osceola (14-8) in the Class 3A first round at 4 p.m.
The Mounties lost to Tyrone on the D-6 3A title game.
It was 23 years ago the Wolverines won their first and only PIAA championship by beating Shenango, Hickory, Blackhawk and Tamaqua.
• Neshannock (18-3) welcomes District 9 runner-up Redbank Valley (15-6) to Mike Kirkwood Field for a 5 p.m. game.
The Lancers have captured two PIAA championships, winning their first 22 years ago in 2004, and then No. 2 came 11 years later in the 2015 state playoffs.
The Bulldogs fell to Moniteau in the District 9 2A finals.
• Eden Christian Academy (16-4) is excited to be hosting its first state playoff game as it takes on District 9 runner-up Clarion (14-6) at 3:30 p.m.
The Warriors reached the PIAA Class A championship game last spring and lost to Southern Fulton.
The Bobcats lost in the D-9 title game to Elk County Catholic.
Here are the other PIAA first round baseball game involving WPIAL teams:
Class 5A
Montour (18-6) at DuBois (18-4) at Showers Field in DuBois, 4:30 p.m.
South Fayette (14-10) at Hollidaysburg (20-2), 4 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson (18-6) at Lampeter-Strasburg, 4:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Hopewell (17-6) vs. General McLane (15-5) at Mercyhurst University in Erie, 4 p.m.
Elizabeth Forward (16-6) at Bellefonte (17-4) at Governor’s Park in Bellefonte, 4 p.m.
Class 3A
Riverside (12-8) vs. Fairview (16-1) at Mercyhurst University in Erie, 1:30 p.m.
South Park (15-6) at Bedford (8-14), 4:30 p.m.
Avonworth (18-6) at Tyrone (13-9), 4 p.m.
Class 2A
Fort Cherry (18-2) at Everett (18-6), 2 p.m.
Riverview (15-7) at Mercyhurst Prep (19-2) at Mercyhurst University, 11 a.m.
Class A
Western Beaver (12-4) vs. West Middlesex (15-5) at Slippery Rock University, 2 p.m.
Serra Catholic (13-7) at Elk County Catholic (18-3) at Berwind Park in St. Mary’s, 4 p.m.
Greensburg Central Catholic (17-1) at Claysburg-Kimmel (16-7), 6:30 p.m.
Softball
A year ago, Shaler won the WPIAL Class 5A championship and was stunned at home in the first round of the PIAA postseason by the No. 4 seed from District 3.
Twin Valley upset Shaler, 4-3, ending the Titans’ hopes of double gold.
Shaler (20-1) will try to avoid another eyebrow raiser Monday when it hosts District 3 No. 4 seed Red Land (20-4) at 4 p.m.
Bria Bosiljevac had three straight shutouts for the Titans with 35 strikeouts before allowing two runs and seven hits in a convincing title game victory over North Hills.
The Patriots reached the D-3 semifinals, then lost to Lower Dauphin and fell to Greencastle-Antrim in the third place consolation game.
• Elizabeth Forward (20-2) battles District 6 champion Bellefonte (11-10) at Little Boston Ballfield in McKeesport at 4 p.m.
The Warriors came back to beat Blackhawk in the WPIAL title game, earning a second Class 4A crown in three years and third since 2019.
The Red Raiders beat Juniata to win the D-6 title, then crushed Carrick in a PIAA state sub-regional game, 18-1.
• South Park (20-1) welcomes District 10 runner-up Hickory (18-4) in a Class 3A first round state playoff game on the turf at South Park.
After back-to-back losses in the 3A finals in 2024 and 2025 to Mohawk, the Eagles flew high past Mt. Pleasant to earn the program’s second district crown.
The Hornets lost to undefeated Sharon in the District 10 3A finals.
• Bentworth (21-2) will go head-to-head with District 10 runner-up Wilmington (8-11) at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Peters Township.
The Bearcats claimed their first WPIAL softball championship thanks to the Gonglik sisters, junior Sydney, who threw a no-hitter in the WPIAL opening round and freshman Makayla, who had two hits and two RBIs in the finals.
The Greyhounds fell in the District 10 championship game to Saegertown.
• Union (18-2) will be home again to start the state playoffs against the No. 3 seed in District 6, Purchase Line (17-4), at 4 p.m.
The Scotties captured their second straight WPIAL championship and their fourth in the last five years last week when they defeated Carmichaels.
These two teams met in the opening round a year ago with the Scotties blanking the Red Dragons in six innings, 12-0.
Here are the other PIAA first round softball games involving WPIAL teams:
Class 5A
Baldwin (19-5) at Lower Dauphin (18-6), 4 p.m.
North Hills (12-8) at DuBois (12-8) at Heindl Field in DuBois, 2 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson (17-8) at Northern York (17-7), 4 p.m.
Class 4A
North Catholic (15-6) at Harbor Creek (17-5), 4 p.m.
Blackhawk (12-5) at Punxsutawney (18-3) at Groundhog Field, 4 p.m.
Class 3A
Ellwood City (11-6) vs. Westmont-Hilltop (19-3) at Hiram Andrews Center in Johnstown, 4 p.m.
Mt. Pleasant (15-5) vs. Sharon (21-0) at Allegheny College, noon
Class 2A
Cranberry (16-5) at Everett (18-4), 4:30 p.m.
Neshannock (17-6) vs. Brockway (16-3) at Heindl Field in DuBois, noon
Laurel (16-6) vs. Saegertown (18-3) at Allegheny College, 2 p.m.
Class A
Jefferson-Morgan (17-7) vs. Cambridge Springs (12-6) at Allegheny College, 4 p.m.
Carmichaels (17-4) at Berlin-Brothersvalley (20-2), 4:30 p.m.
Monday on Trib HSSN
There are 10 broadcasts and four podcasts you can watch or listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the first day of June.
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast with the WPIAL Baseball Player of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast with the WPIAL Softball Player of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast with the WPIAL Baseball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast with the WPIAL Softball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A First Round: Oxford at Upper St. Clair at 4 p.m. on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Baseball Playoffs Video Stream – Class 3A First Round: Philipsburg-Osceola at Ellwood City at 4 p.m. on the Ellwood City Sports at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Baseball Playoffs Video Stream – Class 2A First Round: Redbank Valley at Neshannock at 5 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A First Round: Riverside vs. Fairview at 1:30 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Baseball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A First Round: Fort Cherry at Everett at 2 p.m. on WJPA-AM 1450 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A First Round: Ellwood City at Westmont-Hilltop at 4 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A First Round: Laurel vs. Saegertown at 2 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A First Round: Chartiers-Houston vs. Bellwood-Antis at 4 p.m. on WJPA-AM 1450 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Softball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A First Round: Wilmington vs. Bentworth at 4 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Softball Playoffs Video Stream – Class A First Round: Purchase Line at Union at 4 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com