Postseason is here for Centre County baseball, softball teams. Check out seedings and first games
The District 6 baseball and softball playoffs are set to get underway.
Here are the first opponents and quick notes about the county’s first round games.
Note: All records and stats via MaxPreps.
Softball
Class 6A
No. 1-seed State College vs. No. 2-seed Mifflin County or No. 3-seed Altoona, TBD: State College is one win away from a district title but two wins away from a state tournament appearance. The Lions went 3-0 against Mifflin County and Altoona this season, and would become district champions if they can make that 4-0. They’d then take on the winner of a matchup between District 8 and District 10 champions for a shot to make states.
Class 4A
D6 Bellefonte vs. D8 Carrick, May 21, 3:30 p.m. (at Volunteers Field in Pittsburgh): The Raiders, like the Lions, will have to earn two wins to make states. Bellefonte is automatically the D6 representative in the sub-regional tournament with District 8 and District 9, giving them a matchup with Carrick. The winner of that game will move on to face a D9 representative with a PIAA Tournament spot on the line.
Class 3A
No. 5-seed Philipsburg-Osceola vs. No. 4-seed Tyrone, May 20, 4 p.m. (at Tyrone): Philipsburg-Osceola begins its postseason run on the road against a team it has already defeated this season. The Mounties took down Tyrone in Tyrone on May 2 and will have to repeat that task to advance. If they do that, they’ll be one win away from a state tournament appearance. To get there, they would likely face No. 1-seed Forest Hills in the semifinals.
Class 2A
No. 1-seed Bald Eagle vs. No. 8-seed Northern Cambria, May 21, 4 p.m. (at Bald Eagle): BEA begins its postseason run with a strong chance to make states with a county opponent in its path to get there. The Eagles’ four losses this season were all by one run and two of those came in extra innings. Assuming they take care of business in round one, they may face Penns Valley in the semifinals with the winner going to states and having a chance to play for the District 6 title.
No. 5-seed Penns Valley vs. No. 4-seed Southern Huntingdon, May 20, 4 p.m. (at Southern Huntingdon): The Rams are heading on the road to begin their postseason, and a win gives them that probable county matchup with Bald Eagle in the second round. While Penns Valley is the lower seed, the Rams were still competitive in their matchup with the Eagles this year, losing 5-2.
Baseball
Class 6A
No. 3-seed State College vs. No. 2-seed Altoona, May 16, 4 p.m. (at Altoona): The State High baseball team will have to win two straight games over higher seeds in order to earn itself a district title this season. A win over first-round opponent Altoona on the road would then be followed up by a District 6 title game against Mifflin County at Mount Aloysius. The Little Lions lost both games to Altoona this season in extra innings, while splitting the two games against Mifflin County.
Class 4A
No. 1-seed Bellefonte vs. No. 2-seed Juniata, May 16, 4 p.m. (at Mifflin County): Bellefonte and Juniata will face off for the District 6 title, with the Raiders entering the game with their only losses coming to Clearfield and Bald Eagle. They’re led by Duke commit Trevor Johnson, who is batting .628 on the year in only 43 at-bats. Johnson has come to the plate 76 times for the Raiders, but has reached base via walk or hit by pitch 32 times, with a sacrifice fly accounting for his other plate appearance.
Class 3A
No. 3-seed Philipsburg-Osceola vs. No. 6-seed Huntingdon, May 17, 4 p.m. (at Philipsburg-Osceola): The Mounties will have to win two games to qualify for states and three to win a district title. They’ll start off with the Bearcats, who they defeated in April. And while they’re likely to be the lower seed and take on Central with a bid for states on the line if they win, the good news for P-O is that they’ve already won that matchup once this season. They defeated Central 4-0 in late April.
Class 2A
No. 1-seed Bald Eagle vs. No. 8-seed Cambria Heights, May 16, 4 p.m. (at Bald Eagle): Top-seeded Bald Eagle should be on the fast track to another appearance at states this postseason. The Eagles have been dominant this season and will rely on Weston McClain, both at the plate and on the mound, to help lead the way. He’s joined by Kaden Burns, Kahale Burns, Gavin Burns and Carson Nagle among several others who have been leading the team at the plate this season.
Class A
No. 10-seed St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy vs. No. 7-seed Portage, May 16, 4 p.m. (at Portage): The WolfPack will head on the road to begin what would be a long path to qualifying for states this postseason. They would need to win three straight games over Portage, No. 2-seed Blacklick Valley and likely No. 3-seed Glendale if St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy makes it that far.
