A Tale of Two Teams
The WPIAL Class 5A baseball championship will be played at EQT Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.
Both Upper St. Clair and South Fayette enter the title game with identical 14‑9 records, setting the stage for a rematch that has already seen the latter claim two regular‑season victories.
Offensive Firepower
Upper St. Clair, guided by veteran coach Jeff Donati, has been averaging 13 runs per game during the playoffs, a testament to a lineup that features standouts such as Evan Smirniw, Nico D’Orazio, Nolan Wilson, Grayson Valancius and Brooks York.
South Fayette, in his first year as head coach Marc Snyder, has also leaned on a potent bat order that includes Cody Bungert, R.J. Borgesi, Jacob Bostian and Tyler Skeen, each contributing to a season that saw the team defeat higher‑seeded opponents.
Playoff Paths
The Eagles have upset No. 5 Plum, No. 4 Moon and No. 8 Montour to reach the championship, while the Lions have knocked off No. 7 Franklin Regional, No. 2 Penn‑Trafford and No. 3 Thomas Jefferson in a series of hard‑fought victories.
The winner will advance to face the No. 4 seed from District 3 in the first round of the PIAA tournament, while the runner‑up will meet the District 6 champion in opening round play.
Among the notable players to watch, Upper St. Clair’s roster also includes Tanner Schroeck, Luke Marchinsky, Finn Baird and Cooper Stutzman, whereas South Fayette can count on Ryan Speer, Bo Stover and the aforementioned Bungert and Borgesi.