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Photo Credit: @Shaler_Baseball

by: Don Rebel

SHALER, SOUTH FAYETTE MEET IN EAGERLY ANTICIPATED MATCHUP

Let’s just call it even steven. 

Wednesday marks the first meeting of the year between defending district and state champion No. 8 seed Shaler (15-5) and No. 9 South Fayette (8-6).

The much-anticipated matchup highlights Day 2 of the WPIAL baseball playoffs … weather permitting.

While this is the first clash this spring, these two have collided four times earlier in this decade as section foes without settling any bragging rights.

In 2021, South Fayette won the first game, 5-3, and then Shaler won the second matchup, 5-4.

A year later, the Titans won the opener, 2-1, with the Lions coming back to win the second game, 8-3.

This season, Shaler had a five-game winning streak snapped in its regular season finale, a 4-3 loss to North Allegheny.

Following a sweep of Upper St. Clair to wrap up second place in Section 2-5A, South Fayette has won three of its last four regular season contests. 

The winner advances to the Class 5A quarterfinals Monday to face top-seeded West Allegheny.

You can watch the Tians and Lions at Boyce-Mayview Complex in Upper St. Clair starting at 7 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

In the other three first-round 5A games:

• No. 5 Plum (13-7) was one of four teams to finish tied for first place in Section 1-5A. The Mustangs draw No. 12 Trinity (8-8) at Gateway at 7 p.m. on Trib HSSN, with the winner advancing to face No. 4 Bethel Park.

• No. 7 Penn-Trafford (16-3) also wears the Section 1 crown as it opens the postseason against No. 10 Moon (9-7), winner of six straight games. The winner of the game at Gateway at 2 p.m. will play No. 2 Fox Chapel.

• Another one of the quad-champions in Section 1 is Franklin Regional (12-7). The Panthers have won three straight games and will take on No. 11 Connellsville (11-9) at Gateway at 4:30 p.m. with No. 3 North Hills awaiting the winner.

6A SOFTBALL FINALLY DEBUTS

While top seed Hempfield and No. 2 Seneca Valley continue their mini-vacations into the final four, four teams are set to battle for the other two semifinals spots as the Class 6A postseason finally begins.

No. 4 Pine-Richland (11-9) will face No. 5 Norwin (8-10) at Gateway at 4 p.m. with the winner facing top seed and defending champion Hempfield.

The Rams swept the Knights in their two games this season, 13-1 and 5-2.

No. 3 North Allegheny (12-7) goes up against No. 6 Canon-McMillan (6-11) at the Boyce-Mayview Complex in Upper St. Clair at 4 p.m. with the winner challenging Seneca Valley in the semis.

The Tigers won both games this season against the Big Macs, 14-3 and 7-3.