Boden Lenyk went 3 for 3 with a two-run home run and Kyle Casteel didn’t give up an earned run and struck out 10 to lead WPIAL champion Butler to a 4-2 victory over Owen J. Roberts in the PIAA Class 6A baseball semifinals Monday, sending the Golden Tornado to the state championship game for the first time.
Trent Best also drove in two runs for Butler (22-3), which will meet District 1 fourth-place team Neshaminy in the finals at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Lucas Campbell singled, doubled and scored a run for District 1 runner-up Owen J. Roberts (23-5).
Indiana 13, Archbishop Wood 4 – Winning pitcher Charlie Manzi doubled and drove in three runs as WPIAL champ Indiana (21-4) scored 13 runs in the final three innings to erase an early two-run deficit in the Class 4A semifinals and advance to the state finals for the third straight year.
Dylan Shank singled, doubled and drove in a run, Brady Oakes had two hits and two RBIs and Ethan Shank drove in three runs for the defending state champs, who will face District 1 champ Holy Ghost Prep at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Penn State. Shane Broadwater went 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI for Archbishop Wood (18-5).
Eden Christian Academy 5, Elk County Catholic 1 – Andrew Sharpless, Josh Tilden and Luke Burford delivered RBI singles in the first inning to lead WPIAL champion Eden Christian (19-4) to a win in the Class A semifinals and earn its third straight trip to the state championship game.
Winning pitcher Brady Hull gave up one run on three hits in six innings, striking out five, and Noah Emswiler pitched a scoreless seventh for the Warriors, who will face District 1 champ Dock Mennonite in the finals at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Penn State. Brady Leathers singled and scored for District 9 champion Elk County Catholic (20-4).
Softball
Blackhawk 7, Harbor Creek 5 – Winning pitcher Kylie Prisuta hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to lead WPIAL runner-up Blackhawk (15-5) to a Class 4A semifinal win and the program’s first trip to the PIAA finals.
Ava Elich had two hits and three RBIs and Addy Ramer singled, doubled and drove in a run for the Cougars, who took a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth. Blackhawk will face District 2 champ Valley View in the championship game at 1:30 p.m. Friday. Addison Lucas hit a two-run homer for District 10 champ Harbor Creek (19-6).
Chartiers-Houston 3, Bristol 2 – Zaylee Fonner hit the go-ahead RBI single in the fourth inning as WPIAL fourth-place team Chartiers-Houston (21-4) won in the Class 2A semifinals to set up the first all-WPIAL state championship game, in baseball or softball, against Laurel at 11 a.m. Friday at Penn State.
An all-WPIAL state final has taken place in volleyball and tennis, most recently when Knoch defeated Sewickley Academy for the 2022 Class 2A girls tennis title.
Aubree Randolph hit an RBI triple in the fourth and Taryne Drilak allowed two runs on eight hits in a complete-game win for the Bucs, who will be making their sixth visit to the PIAA finals. Peyton McClain had two hits and an RBI for District 1 champ Bristol, which scored 41 runs in its first two state playoff games.
Laurel 9, Everett 5 – Ivy Pancher went 3 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead WPIAL third-place finisher Laurel (19-6) to a win in the Class 2A semifinals and the program’s first berth in the state championship game.
Hailey Fell doubled twice and scored, Lexi Krol singled, doubled and drove in a run and Alexis Bair had two hits and an RBI for the Spartans, who will face Chartiers-Houston in an all-WPIAL final at 11 a.m. Friday at Penn State. Morgan Bowser singled, doubled and drove in a run for District 5 champ Everett (20-5).
Union 8, Berlin Brothersvalley 6 – Trailing by four runs, WPIAL champ Union (21-2) erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning to win a Class A semifinal and advance to the state finals for the third time in four years.
Maddie Settle hit an RBI double, Irelyn Fisher belted a two-run homer and Maggie Joseph delivered a two-run double as the Scotties turned a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 lead. Samantha Confer and Olivia Williams added RBI singles in the inning. Union will meet District 2 champ Holy Cross in the finals at 11 a.m. Thursday. Coral Prosser went 2 for 3 with four runs scored, Sam Walker had two hits and two RBIs and Elsie Barna drove in three runs for District 5 champ Berlin Brothersvalley (22-3).