The WPIAL released the 2024 softball playoff brackets on Thursday, as 15 Westmoreland County teams learned their fate. Hempfield Area headlines the field of county teams, as the reigning champion Spartans received the top seed in Class 6A. Furthermore, Ligonier Valley earned the second seed in Class 3A, while defending champion Belle Vernon Area was seeded sixth in Class 4A. The championship games will be held at Lilley Field at California University of Pennsylvania on May 29 and 30.

In Class 6A, Hempfield Area garnered the top seed, and a bye to the semifinals on Wednesday May 22. The Spartans tied Seneca Valley atop the section standings at 15-1, and the teams split the head-to-head. However, Hempfield Area dominated the second meeting between the squads, prevailing 15-2 last week. As a result, the Spartans will await the winner of the quarterfinals matchup between fourth-seeded Pine-Richland and No. 5 Norwin next Wednesday at Gateway High School at 4 p.m. The Knights finished 7-9 in section play. Only the WPIAL champion will qualify for the state bracket.

A trio of Westmoreland teams qualified in Class 5A, headlined by Penn-Trafford, which received the fourth seed. The Warriors, who finished in second place from Section 2 at 8-2, will play No. 13 Bethel Park on Monday at 5 p.m. at West Mifflin Area High School. The third-place team from the section, Greater Latrobe (6-4), is seeded No. 11, as the Wildcats will square off against sixth seed Trinity on Monday at 5 p.m. at Montour High School. Franklin Regional, which placed fourth in the section at 5-5, received the No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 Shaler Area on Monday at 4 p.m. at Plum High School. The top three teams will advance to the PIAA tournament.

In Class 4A, Belle Vernon Area garnered the sixth seed after tying for second in Section 2 at 8-4, as the Leopards will play No. 11 Blackhawk on Monday at 3 p.m. at Peterswood Park in Venetia. Additionally, Greensburg Salem, which finished fourth from the section with a mark of 5-7, is the No. 10 seed and will battle seventh-seeded Knoch on Monday at 6 p.m. at Plum. The top three finishers qualify for the state postseason.

County teams litter the field in Class 3A, with Ligonier Valley earning the best seed of the five local qualifiers. The Rams, who tied atop Section 3 at 8-2 but won via head-to-head tiebreaker, garnered the second seed, and will play No. 15 Keystone Oaks on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Gateway. Southmoreland, which tied with Ligonier Valley for section supremacy, is seeded fifth. The Scotties, who finished as runner up in the WPIAL field last year, will play No. 12 seed Freeport Area on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Gateway. Burrell, which placed second from Section 1 with a mark of 7-3, is the seven seed, as the Buccaneers will play No. 10 Ellwood City on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Mars Area High School. Yough placed third in Section 3 with a record of 6-4 and received the ninth seed as the Cougars will clash with eighth-seeded McGuffey Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Norwin High School. Lastly, Mount Pleasant Area, which finished fourth from Section 3 at 4-6, is the No. 11 seed and will play sixth seed Central Valley Tuesday at 5 p.m. at West Mifflin. The top four finishers will continue on to the PIAA bracket.

In Class 2A, Greensburg Central Catholic garnered the No. 11 seed. The Centurions, who finished third from Section 2 at 6-4, will battle sixth-seeded Charleroi on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Norwin. The top three teams from the bracket will qualify for the state field.

Lastly in Class 1A, Jeannette and Monessen made the postseason. The Jayhawks placed second from Section 3, going 10-2. They are seeded sixth and will face No. 11 Northgate on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at West Mifflin. The Greyhounds ranked third in the section at 7-5, and thus are seeded No. 10 and will square off against No. 7 South Side Beaver on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Montour. The top four teams from the field will advance to the PIAA tournament.

2024 WPIAL High School Softball Playoff Brackets

Class 6A Bracket

Class 5A Bracket

Class 4A Bracket

Class 3A Bracket

Class 2A Bracket

Class 1A Bracket