What to watch for in WPIAL sports for April 17, 2023: Top teams in Class 6A baseball in action

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, April 16, 2023 | 10:48 PM

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For the first time in over a week, weather is a concern for outdoor spring sports Monday.

Gone for now are the above average temperatures and sunny skies, replaced at the beginning of the week by much colder temps and a threat of rain.

That said, there are plenty of great matchups in another week of section series games in WPIAL baseball.

Four of the top teams in Class 6A will collide in the first of a three-game section series.

Seneca Valley leads Section 1-6A with a 3-0 section record after sweeping Allderdice two weeks ago.

The challenge will be tougher for the top-ranked Raiders as they visit Pine-Richland Monday.

The Rams are 4-2 after losing two of three to Butler, then winning three straight against Allderdice.

Over in Section 2-6A, the top two teams battle for first place as Canon-McMillan plays host to Hempfield at Wild Things Park.

Both the Big Macs and Spartans are 5-1 in section play.

Watch Hempfield against Canon-McMillan on Trib HSSN at 4 p.m.

Other baseball section series showdowns

There are five other baseball section showdowns between the top two teams in that section.

• In Section 1-5A, Fox Chapel (5-4) visits Franklin Regional (7-2). The Foxes are 5-1 in the section while the Panthers are 3-1 with two section games in hand.

• In Section 2-5A, Bethel Park (6-3) is at Peters Township (5-4). The Black Hawks are 4-0 in the section and have a two-game lead over the 2-2 Indians, as well as Trinity and Connellsville.

• In Section 3-3A, first-place Greensburg Salem (9-1) travels to Wild Things Park to face McGuffey (6-2). The Golden Lions are a perfect 6-0 while the Highlands are a game back in the loss column at 3-1.

• In Section 2-2A, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (6-5) hosts first-place South Side (8-0). The Chargers are tied with Seton LaSalle for second place with 5-1 section records, one game behind the 6-0 Rams.

• In Section 3-2A, four teams have one section loss. Two of them collide Monday when Serra Catholic (8-2) travels to Ligonier Valley (6-2). The host Rams are even in the section with Riverview at 5-1, while the Eagles are tied with Greensburg Central Catholic at 3-1.

Softball section midway point

The first half of section play concludes for most district softball teams Monday.

Three teams are tied for first place in WPIAL 6A softball, all with 6-1 section records.

Hempfield is 9-1 overall, defending champion Seneca Valley is 7-1 and Norwin checks in at 8-2 overall.

The Spartans host the Knights in a matchup of Westmoreland County powers.

Also on Monday, West Allegheny (4-0, 11-1) visits Mars (3-1, 5-3) in Section 3-5A.

Indiana (10-1) is at Knoch (3-5) for first place in Section 1-4A. The Little Indians are 4-0 in the section while the Knights are a half-game back at 3-0.

In Section 2-2A, Apollo-Ridge (5-3) will host Serra Catholic (7-2). The Vikings are 4-1 and trail the Eagles, who are 4-0, by a half-game.

Four teams have only one section loss in Section 3-2A. Two of them collide Monday when Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (6-2) visits Burgettstown (7-3). The Chargers, Blue Devils and Bentworth are 4-1 while Charleroi checks in with a section record of 3-1.

Tags: Allderdice, Apollo-Ridge, Bentworth, Bethel Park, Burgettstown, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Charleroi, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Indiana, Knoch, Ligonier Valley, Mars, McGuffey, Norwin, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, South Side, West Allegheny