Mike Vukovcan The WPIAL released the brackets for the upcoming high school baseball brackets this morning and IMO, there were a couple of surprises.
Considering their body of work, I was expecting Hopewell to receive at worst a No. 5 seed but that’s not what the WPIAL decided on.
Hopewell softball and youth baseball is sponsored by Lisa McCoy, your neighborhood State Farm agent.
After finishing the season with a record of 14-5 and second place in the most competitive section, Morgan Singletary’s team will enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in Class 4A.
A&S Federal Credit Union are proud sponsors of Hopewell Boys and Girls High School, Junior High and Youth Sports.
As the 6th seed, Hopewell will take on No. 11 Ringgold Monday at 6:30 PM from Peterswood Park (Peters Township).
If Hopewell is able to advance, they would then be matched up against No. 3 Valley, the following Monday, May 18th.
The WPIAL decided to have all teams play on Monday and then have an entire week off before playing quarterfinal action. The obvious advantage for teams that advance is that they are able to use their No. 1 pitcher in back-to-back games.
Here’s a look at the way Class 4A was seeded and the first-round matchups.
1) Indiana
2) Elizabeth Forward
3) Valley
4) Beaver
5) Belle Vernon
6) Hopewell
7) West Mifflin
8) Knoch
9) Blackhawk
10) Ambridge
11) Ringgold
12) Hampton
13) Derry
FIRST ROUND GAMES:
#8 Knoch vs. #9 Blackhawk (winner takes on #1 Indiana)
#4 Beaver vs. #13 Derry
#5 Belle Vernon vs. #12 Hampton
#7 West Mifflin vs. #10 Ambridge (winner takes on #2 Elizabeth Forward)
#6 Hopewell vs. #11 Ringgold (winner takes on #3 Valley)
Analysis: Most expected Beaver, the 1st place team from Section, to receive the No. 3 seed but that didn’t happen. Instead, the WPIAL put more value into Valley finishing in a tie with Indiana, which has been the top-ranked team in Class 4A all season. It was also a bit of a surprise that Belle Vernon received a higher ranking than Hopewell, considering the body of work. However, in the end it doesn’t matter because to win the championship, you must be able to beat quality teams.
That mission for Hopewell will begin on Monday against Ringgold.
