The Post-Gazette breaks down the WPIAL softball playoff field.
Class 6A
Top seeds: Bethel Park first, Norwin second, Hempfield third, Mt. Lebanon fourth
The winner will be: Bethel Park. The Black Hawks are one of only two undefeated teams left in the WPIAL, and they’ve been nothing short of dominant all year. Senior Reagan Milliken (10 home runs) is an Ohio State recruit and one of the most feared hitters in the WPIAL, while Gianna Sciullo (Georgetown), Lauren Caye (Seton Hall) and Sandra Soltes (Pitt) will also play high-level college ball. Senior pitcher Delaney Nagy (UConn) gives Bethel Park a reliable No. 1 starter in the circle.
The scoop: Norwin has a pair of aces in the hole in starting pitchers Angelina Pepe and Sydney Lokay. The Knights have won six in a row entering the playoffs. … Hempfield is the five-time defending WPIAL champion, and the Spartans are attempting to become the first team ever to win six titles in a row. Senior pitcher Callie Sowers gives them a chance to beat any team. … Led by sophomore Deirdre Flaherty (11 home runs) and senior Jenna Gorecki (7 home runs), Mt. Lebanon could be a tough out for anyone in Class 6A.
Class 5A
Top seeds: Penn-Trafford first, Latrobe second, Plum third, Shaler fourth
The winner will be: Penn-Trafford. The Warriors are coming off a PIAA championship in 2019, and several of their top players from that 2019 team are back for what could be another deep playoff run in 2021. Seniors Brooke Cleland (10 home runs) and Emma Little (4 home runs) provide plenty of pop in the middle of the order, and junior Mia Smith has emerged as the team’s No. 1 starter after serving in the closer role as a freshman. Penn-Trafford started the season 1-3 but has since won 13 of its last 14 games.
The scoop: West Allegheny is the three-time defending WPIAL champion, but the Indians only received a No. 6 seed despite a 12-3 record. Senior Angela Costa pitched a complete game in West Allegheny’s WPIAL championship victory as a sophomore. … Some were surprised to see Latrobe receive a No. 2 seed, but the Wildcats have come on strong late. Senior Jordan Tallman (Georgetown) is recovering from an injury and may not be available to pitch, but freshman Kayla Williams has thrown a pair of no-hitters in her place.
Class 4A
Top seeds: Elizabeth Forward first, Beaver second, West Mifflin third, Montour fourth
The winner will be: Elizabeth Forward. Beaver may be undefeated, but it says here the WPIAL got it right by rewarding the Warriors with the No. 1 seed. It’s been more than two years since Elizabeth Forward lost to a WPIAL opponent, having won 30 games in a row against WPIAL foes dating back to March 2019. Since then, the Warriors have won a WPIAL title and reached the 2019 PIAA championship game. Senior Kailey Larcinese (158 strikeouts) is one of the best pitchers in the WPIAL, having hurled a shutout in the WPIAL title game as a sophomore.
The scoop: All signs point toward a high-stakes collision between Beaver and Elizabeth Forward in the title game. The Bobcats feature star junior Payton List (151 strikeouts), a Virginia Tech recruit and one of the top two-way players in the WPIAL. Beaver has won 12 of 14 games by shutout. … If any team is capable of crashing the championship party, it’s West Mifflin. The Titans have a high-powered offense led by senior Lauren Yuhas (11 home runs), an Ohio recruit.
CLASS 3A
Top seeds: Mount Pleasant first, North Catholic second, Waynesburg third, Avonworth fourth
The winner will be: Mount Pleasant. An overwhelming favorite since the beginning of the season, the Vikings dropped down from Class 4A after winning a WPIAL title in 2016 and a PIAA title in 2017, then going undefeated in the regular season in 2018 and 2019. This may be Mount Pleasant’s most talented lineup yet, with future Division I players at nearly every position. Senior Haylie Brunson (Pitt) leads the way with 5 home runs and 29 RBIs.
The scoop: Waynesburg is certainly battle tested, having defeated Mount Pleasant, 11-10, in their first matchup before losing the rematch, 7-6. The Raiders also split a pair of matchups with section rivals South Allegheny and Southmoreland, two teams also capable of making a deep playoff run. … Avonworth is the defending Class 3A champion, and the Antelopes received a No. 4 seed after a stellar midseason turnaround, having won 10 in a row after a 1-4 start.
CLASS 2A
Top seeds: Ligonier Valley first, Laurel second, Frazier third, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart fourth
The winner will be: Laurel. The two-time defending WPIAL champions received a No. 2 seed after going 13-1 in the regular season and are riding a 12-game winning streak into the playoffs. The Spartans have a trio of talented pitchers in Autumn Boyd, Grace Kissick and Addie Deal, and all three have had strong seasons at the plate. Frankie Duddy and Georgia Jellyman help round out Laurel’s potent lineup.
The scoop: Top seed Ligonier Valley will be extremely tough to score on, as junior pitcher Maddie Griffin has tossed nine no-hitters so far this season. The Rams went 16-1 in the regular season in their WPIAL debut, winning 15 games by shutout. … Frazier has reached three consecutive WPIAL championship games and won a PIAA title in 2019, but only two players remain from that 2019 team. Still, the Commodores finished 14-3 to earn a No. 3 seed. … Shenango senior pitcher Mia Edwards led the WPIAL with 239 strikeouts in the regular season.
CLASS 1A
Top seeds: West Greene first, Leechburg second, Union third, South Side Beaver fourth
The winner will be: West Greene. The Pioneers have won four consecutive WPIAL titles, and are attempting to join Hempfield and Sto-Rox as the only teams to win five WPIAL softball titles in a row. They certainly have a great chance to do so, with senior Jersey Wise, junior Kiley Meek and sophomore London Whipkey leading the way.
The scoop: Leechburg is making a record 34th consecutive WPIAL playoff appearance, and the Blue Devils earned a No. 2 seed thanks in large part to senior pitcher Emma Ritchie. Leechburg has reached the WPIAL semifinals three years in a row, but is still seeking its first WPIAL championship appearance under coach Debbie Young. … Springdale, which received a No. 5 seed, has a reliable starting pitcher of its own in junior Alexis Hrivnak.
Steve Rotstein: srotstein@post-gazette.com and Twitter @SteveRotstein.
First Published: May 14, 2021, 4:49 p.m.
