Central and Bedford will square off in the state Class AA high school baseball quarterfinals on Thursday as part of a doubleheader in Johnstown that also includes Bishop Carroll, the PIAA announced this afternoon.
The District 6 champion Scarlet Dragons will face the District 5 champion Bisons at 6:30 p.m. at Point Stadium. Central is 16-5 and is two wins away from reaching the PIAA championship game for the second year in a row.
Bedford improved to 9-8 with its first-round interdistrict win over Waynesburg Central.
Before the Dragons and Bisons tangle, Bishop Carroll will attempt to advance to the Class A semifinals, but the Huskies will have a stern test in two-time defending PIAA finalist Serra Catholic. Serra finished as the third seed in District 7 this year. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 4.
Two area Class AA softball teams will be in action, too. Philipsburg-Osceola, the District 6 champion, will play WPIAL runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic in the third game of a tripleheader at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. Central Cambria, which fell to P-O in the 6-AA finals, will be at Hempfield Area High School in Greensburg at noon to take on District 7 champion Burrell.
The championships in both sports are slated for Penn State June 17.
BASEBALL
THURSDAY
PIAA PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINALS
CLASS AAAA
Council Rock South (1-4) vs. Spring-Ford (1-1), Neumann University, Aston, 4:30
Nazareth (11-1) vs. Manheim Township (3-2), Stump Stadium, Pine Grove, 6:30
Conestoga (1-2) vs. Methacton (1-5), Neumann University, Aston, 2
Peters Township (7-2) vs. Seneca Valley (7-1), North Allegheny HS, Wexford, 6
CLASS AAA
Tunkhannock (2-1) vs. Mechanicsburg (3-1), Parkland HS, Allentown, 6:30
Blue Mountain (11-1) vs. Twin Valley (3-2), Wenger Field, Fredericksburg, 4:30
Punxsutawney (9-1) vs. Northern York (3-3), Replogle Field, New Enterprise, 4
Grove City (10-1) vs. Elizabeth Forward (7-1), North Allegheny HS, Wexford, noon
CLASS AA
Salisbury Township (11-1) vs. Oley Valley (3-1), Parkland HS, Allentown, 4
York Catholic (3-2) vs. Danville (4-1), Stump Stadium, Pine Grove, 4
Saegertown (10-1) vs. Riverside (7-1), Slippery Rock University, noon
Central (6-1) vs. Bedford (5-1), Point Stadium, Johnstown, 6:30
CLASS A
Calvary Christian (1-1) vs. Reading Central Catholic (3-1), TBA
Salisbury-Elk Lick (5-1) vs. Muncy (4-1), Green Township Park, Scotland, 4:30
Mercyhurst Prep (10-1) vs. Bishop McCort (6-2), North Allegheny HS, Wexford, 3
Bishop Carroll (6-1) vs. Serra Catholic (7-3), Point Stadium, Johnstown, 4
SOFTBALL
THURSDAY
PIAA PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINALS
CLASS AAAA
Williamsport (4-1) vs. Hatboro-Horsham, TBA
Neshaminy (1-3) vs. New Oxford (3-2), Lyons Field, Fleetwood, 6
Pennsbury (1-2) vs. Souderton (1-5), TBA
McDowell (10-1) vs. Latrobe (7-1), Slippery Rock University, 5
CLASS AAA
Valley View (2-1) vs. Pope John Paul (1-1), Patriots Park, Allentown, 6
Manheim Central (3-1) vs. Lansdale Catholic (12-1), Lyons Field, Fleetwood, 4
Ambridge (7-2) vs. Bellefonte (6-1), Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, noon
Valley (7-3) vs. Yough (7-1), Hempfield HS, Greensburg, 1:30
CLASS AA
Elk Lake (2-1) vs. Brandywine Heights (3-1), Bloomsburg University, 4
Central Columbia (4-1) vs. Christopher Dock (1-1), TBA
Central Cambria (6-2) vs. Burrell (7-1), Hempfield HS, Greensburg, noon
Greensburg Central Catholic (7-2) vs. Philipsburg-Osceola (6-1), Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, 4
CLASS A
Old Forge (2-1) vs. Wyalusing Valley (4-1), Bloomsburg University, 1
Bristol (1-1) vs. Minersville (11-1), Patriots Park, Allentown, 4
Fannett-Metal (5-1) vs. Chartiers-Houston (7-1), Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, 2
Clarion (9-1) vs. Cochranton (10-1), Slippery Rock University, 3
