Westmoreland high school baseball playoff capsules: Friday, May 21, 2021

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, May 20, 2021 | 8:39 PM

Today’s games

Class 5A

No.1 Franklin Regional (16-1) vs. 8-Mars (13-6)

7 p.m. at North Allegheny

Coaches: Bob Saddler, Franklin Regional; Jason Thompson Mars

Winner plays: Winner of 13-Peters Township (9-10)/12-Latrobe (12-8) Monday at a site and time to be determined in the semifinals

Players to watch: Louis Kegerreis, Sr., INF, Franklin Regional; J.J. Wetherholt, Sr., SS, Mars

Extra bases: Franklin Regional rallied in the middle innings to defeat Thomas Jefferson, 14-3, in a first-round game on Tuesday. Anthony Alesi hit a two-run home run and Kegerreis went 5 for 5 with a triple, home run and 4 RBIs. Mars used a walk-ff hit by Wetherholt in the seventh inning to defeat Gateway, 4-3.

13-Peters Township (9-10) vs. Latrobe (12-8)

11 a.m. at West Mifflin

Coaches: Rocky Blassio, Peters Township; Matt Basciano, Latrobe

Winner plays: Winner of 1-Franklin Regional (16-1)/8-Mars (13-6) Monday (time, site TBD) in semifinals

Players to watch: Jack Natili, So., C/P, Peters Township; Tucker Knupp, Sr., INF, Latrobe

Extra bases: Peters Township stunned South Fayette, 6-4, in the first round. Natili hit a two-run homer, and Mac Ciocco went 4 for 4. Latrobe jumped on No. 5 Plum early, grabbing a 7-0 lead, and held on for an 8-7 victory. Vinny Amatucci had three hits, including a double, for the Wildcats. Knupp had three hits, and Chase Sickenberger hit two doubles.

3-West Allegheny (16-3) vs. 6-Penn-Trafford (13-6)

4:30 p.m. at West Mifflin

Coaches: Bryan Cornell, West Allegheny; Dan Miller, Penn-Trafford

Winner plays: Winner of 2-Bethel Park (16-3)/7-Shaler (14-5) Monday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Adam Crawford, Jr., SS/P, West Allegheny; Joe MacIntosh, Jr., P, Penn-Trafford

Extra bases: Crawford had four hits to help West Allegheny to a 14-1 victory against Hampton. Devin Zirwas was 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs for the Indians. Cole Egan tossed a no-hitter this season. Joe MacIntosh tossed a five-hit shutout to defeat Connellsville, 2-0. The Warriors were WPIAL Class 6A runner-up in 2019.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.