Four new champions crowned during 2024 WPIAL baseball championships

WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) -- The WPIAL has crowned all six of its baseball championship teams for the 2024 season!

Two of the six winners this year are back-to-back champions with the title games played across two days at Wild Things Park just outside of Washington, Pa. 

North Allegheny turns the tables on Mt. Lebanon

In the WPIAL's largest classification, North Allegheny won its record ninth championship title with pitcher David Posey throwing a complete game, no-hitter against the defending champions from Mt. Lebanon. 

It was a turning of the tables in 6A after Mt. Lebanon star pitcher David Shields threw a no-hitter of his own a year ago to beat North Allegheny. 

North Allegheny registered five hits against the Miami-committed left-hander and scored their lone run of the game on a third-inning home run. 

Penn-Trafford wins first WPIAL baseball title

In 5A, the WPIAL has a first-time champion as Penn-Trafford has won its first baseball title in school history. 

Penn-Trafford won its first championship Tuesday night by beating Bethel Park in a 4-3 game that ended after 11:00 p.m.

The Warriors trailed 2-0 going into the fourth inning and rattled off four runs to take the lead. They allowed Bethel Park to claw back within one in the ensuing half-inning before holding on for the win with three scoreless innings to end the game.

Penn-Trafford now heads into the PIAA state playoffs with a 20-3 record. 

North Catholic rallies for come-from-behind win

It took six-run rally spread across three innings on Wednesday evening, but North Catholic has won its fifth WPIAL title. 

Indiana jumped out to a 5-1 lead through three innings and were in the drivers' seat to win their first championship in school history, but North Catholic was ready to claw back. 

Joe Safar helped lead the Trojans back into the game as he went 2-for 2 with a double and a triple as North Catholic scored two runs in the fourth, three runs in the fifth, and one run in the sixth to turn a 5-1 deficit into a 7-5 lead.

North Catholic previously won titles in class 2A and 3A. This is their first championship in 4A.

Avonworth wins marathon title game to beat defending champs

The defending champions in 3A are no more. Last year, Riverside had a headline-making year as they went 25-0, winning the WPIAL and PIAA 3A championship titles.

A perfect season wasn't on the line in Tuesday's title matchup as Riverside had already dropped a game, but Avonworth ended their quest for back-to-back championships in a marathon game at Wild Things Park. 

 The Antelopes took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 7th before Riverside evened up the game at 3-3, sending the title contest into extra innings.

Little did everyone know they were getting a full game's worth of extra innings as the two teams would play the longest championship game in WPIAL history stretching to 14 innings. 

Avonworth's relief pitcher Cooper Scharding ended up pitching more than 7 innings and striking out nine batters. 

This year's championship is Avonworth's first in 32 years. 

Seton LaSalle wins third title in five years

The recent run of success for Seton LaSalle continued in 2A as the Rebels won their third WPIAL title in the last five seasons.

All three of Seton LaSalle's WPIAL championship wins have come against rival Serra Catholic. 

The Rebels capitalized on a four-run third inning and three Serra Catholic errors before a weather delay halted the game for more than an hour. 

Seton LaSalle pitcher Mark Weber allowed eight hits in the win, but the Rebels defense continually found themselves able to get out of jams as Serra stranded eight runners on base in the game. 

Bishop Canevin goes back-to-back

We have another repeat champion in 1A. 

Last year, Bishop Canevin ended a 23-year drought when they won the 1A championship and they'll be keeping their crown for another year after beating Eden Christian 10-3 on Tuesday.

It was relative cruise control for the Crusaders who jumped out to a 3-0 lead that they turned into a 9-1 lead through three innings. 

Bishop Canevin has now won four WPIAL titles.

PIAA championships set to get underway

Nineteen WPIAL teams will be competing in this year's PIAA state baseball championships throughout the six classifications.

The PIAA brackets will be released in the coming days with the opening round of play set to get underway on Monday, June 3.

The state title games will be played on June 13 and June 14 at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. 

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