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Monday, April 10, 2023 | 10:01 PM
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Highlands’ Luke Bombalski scores behind Knoch catcher Cody Fike in the first inning April 4.
Call it the even-steven section.
WPIAL baseball section series continue Tuesday with three matchups slated for Tuesday and Wednesday in Section 4-4A.
If history means anything, don’t be surprised if all six teams split their home-and-home games these next two days.
That is because all six split in their first section series a week ago.
Entering this week, Hampton, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Kiski Area and North Catholic were all 1-1 and tied for first place … and tied for last place.
None of the six teams is over .500 overall and the one team that is even-steven in its overall record as well is Kiski Area at 3-3.
The three games Tuesday have Hampton visiting Kiski Area, North Catholic hosting Highlands and Indiana at Knoch.
Other big WPIAL section baseball games on Tuesday include:
• North Allegheny (0-0, 3-1) at Butler (2-1, 4-3) in Section 1-6A
• Bethel Park (2-0, 4-3) at South Fayette (1-1, 7-1) in Section 2-5A
• Mars (2-0, 6-2) at North Hills (2-0, 6-1) in Section 3-5A
• Blackhawk (2-0, 4-1) at Hopewell (2-0, 4-2) in Section 1-4A
• Chartiers Valley (2-0, 4-2) at Thomas Jefferson (2-0, 4-0) in Section 3-5A
• Shenango (1-0, 1-2) at Riverside (4-0, 5-0) in Section 1-3A
• Avonworth (2-0, 4-3) at South Park (2-0, 2-0) in Section 2-3A
• Serra Catholic (2-0. 6-1) at Riverview (4-0, 5-1) in Section 3-2A
Softball 2A and A gems
In the last 23 years, two programs have combined to win 11 WPIAL Class A softball championshps.
Chartiers-Houston has six titles: 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012.
West Greene has five crowns, winning district gold in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021.
The two are off and running in the hopes for more gold this season.
On Tuesday, the Buccaneers host the Pioneers in a Section 2-A showdown.
Chartiers-Houston (2-4) is 2-1 in section play, one game behind both Carmichaels and West Greene (6-3), who are both 3-0 in the section.
Another small school section softball showdown Tuesday has defending champion Neshannock visiting Riverside for first place in Section 1-2A.
The Lancers are 2-0 while the Panthers are 3-0 in the section. Both teams are a perfect 4-0 overall.
Love is grand
The first postseason of the 2023 WPIAL spring sports season begins Tuesday with the boys tennis singles championships.
The first four rounds of the Class 3A tournament will be held at Bethel Park while the 2A tournament takes place at North Allegheny.
Sophomore Adam Memije of Gateway is the top seed in the 3A field with Anthony Lounder of Moon set as the No. 2 seed.
In the 2A playoffs, Winchester Thurston freshman Austin He is the No. 1 seed and gets a first-round bye into the quarterfinals. Sophomore Severin Harmon of Sewickley Academy is the No. 2 seed.
There will be two new champions crowned at the finals at Bethel Park on Wednesday.
Jacob Patterson of South Fayette and Nicolas Scheller of North Catholic both won district gold in 2021 and 2022. Both have since graduated.
