No. 2 Penn-Trafford (18-2) vs No. 1 Armstrong (19-4) – 4:30 p.m. Friday at Lilley Field

About the Warriors: Penn-Trafford cruised through the first two playoff games, defeating Plum 10-0 and Shaler Area 5-0. But the Warriors needed to rally to edge No. 11 Chartiers Valley 3-2 last Tuesday in the semifinals at West Mifflin High School. Penn-Trafford scored twice in the fifth inning to gain the upper hand, and Warriors’ pitcher Mia Smith made that lead stand, as she retired the final 10 batters she faced to earn the W. Smith, a Pitt – Johnstown commit, also played a key role on the 2019 PIAA Championship team. She boasts a record of 17-1 this season, posting an ERA of 0.98 with 176 strikeouts and just 33 walks in 107.1 innings of work. The PT lineup features plenty of potency, as seven different players have home runs, including Hannah Allen, who paces the squad with five. Allen, a Washington & Jefferson commit, also leads the team with 21 RBIs and is batting .361. Freshman Cameron Ponko has a robust .491 batting average, along with 20 RBIs and three homers. Junior Kylee Piconi boasts an average of .379 with four home runs, and she leads the Warriors with 22 runs and 13 stolen bases. As a team, the Warriors are batting .375 with 20 home runs and 47 steals. Denny Little is in his sixth season at the helm of the program.

About the River Hawks: Similar to Penn-Trafford, Armstrong won its first two postseason tilts comfortably (11-5 against Hampton, 14-7 against Thomas Jefferson), but narrowly edged defending champion North Hills 6-4 in the semis last Tuesday at Mars Area High School. The River Hawks’ calling card all season has been offense, as the team has scored 10 or more runs 13 times. Junior Emma Smerich leads the way with a .513 average and is tied for the team-best with 29 runs scored, and she’s contributed five home runs and 26 RBIs. Meanwhile, sophomore Jessica Pugh has the most powerful bat, as she has smacked nine home runs and amassed 33 RBIs, both team highs, along with a .422 average. Eight regular players on the team have a batting average of .400 or higher, while nine River Hawks have added home runs. In the circle, junior Cameron Sprankle has been the workhorse, as she’s thrown 89.2 innings, compiling a mark of 13-2 with one save. During her work, she’s allowed 46 runs, striking out 81 and walking 31. Doug Flanders is the head coach for Armstrong.

About the Matchup: Neither team has ever captured a WPIAL softball crown, although the River Hawks played in the championship game last year, while Penn-Trafford secured state gold in 2019. The teams last met during that championship campaign for the Warriors, as PT cruised to a pair of wins, 13-1 and 12-1. Since Armstrong formed via the merger of Ford City and Kittanning, the River Hawks have never defeated the Warriors. Both teams have already qualified for the PIAA Class 5A bracket.

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