News

by: Don Rebel

HEMPFIELD, SENECA VALLEY SOFTBALL SET TO SQUARE OFF

They tried to play last week, but wet and cold weather got in the way. Hopefully, Mother Nature will not be a factor again when Hempfield hosts Seneca Valley for first place in 6A softball at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Spartans and Raiders are the two most dominant softball programs in WPIAL Class 6A over the last decade as they hope to square off for the first of two regular season games.

Outside of Bethel Park winning it all in 2021, these programs have won the WPIAL softball championship in the highest classification each season since 2015.

Hempfield won five straight titles between 2015-2019, and then captured gold again in 2023.

Seneca Valley is the defending champion and has captured two of the last three district 6A crowns.

Over the last three years, these two juggernaut have collided on the softball diamond eight times.

Each team has won four games and they are 1-1 against each other in the postseason.

Seneca Valley won in the 2022 semifinals on its way to a district crown and Hempfield won a showdown for gold in the 2023 finals.

Last season, the Raiders won the first game 2-0 before the Spartans bounced back in a big way to win the rematch, 15-2.

Thus far this spring, Hempfield is a perfect 9-0 overall and is alone in first place with a 5-0 record n 6A.

The Spartans have outscored their opponents in those nine wins, 100-13.

Seneca Valley won its first seven games this season and was 5-0 in 6A games until a stunning loss to Pine-Richland on Saturday, 3-2.

The Raiders bounced back Monday with a rout of Woodland Hills.

NEIGHBORS BEGIN BIG SERIES

It is a crowded top in Section 2-5A WPIAL baseball.

Going into Monday’s action, five teams were even in the section loss column with two losses and the other two teams were only two games back.

Two Section 2-5A series began Monday and conclude Tuesday. The Tuesday schedule for those four teams has Moon (2-2) visiting Chartiers Valley (2-4) at 4 p.m. and Upper St. Clair (2-2) hosting South Fayette (4-2) at 7 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

The third section series this week beings Tuesday when Peters Township (2-2) makes the short trip to face Bethel Park (4-2).

The game Tuesday at Bob Purkey Field begins at 4 p.m.

The Indians are 7-4 overall and have split their first two section series against Moon and Chartiers Valley.

The Black Hawks enter the series with an overall record of 7-3 and split their last two series against South Fayette and Trinity after sweeping their first section series against Upper St. Clair.