H.S. SOFTBALL: Schuylkill League playoffs take center stage
· Yahoo Sports
The dust has settled on the 2026 regular season in the Schuylkill League, and now six teams will vie for the coveted Schuylkill League championship.
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Each of the last three teams to have won the Schuylkill League championship has gone to claim state championships, with Pine Grove doing so in 2025, following in the footsteps of Blue Mountain, which accomplished the feat in 2023 and 2024
Blue Mountain captured the regular-season divisional crown in Division I with a 13-1 record in league play, while Tri-Valley took home the Division II title with a 12-2 record.
Also qualifying out of Division I are Pine Grove (12-2) and North Schuylkill (11-3). Representing Division II will be Schuylkill Haven (11-3) and Williams Valley (11-3).
The Schuylkill League playoffs will begin on Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Blue Mountain’s Patton Field as part of a doubleheader, with the second matchup at 6:30 p.m.
The semifinals will take place on Tuesday at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., with the championship game being played on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Ticket prices for all playoff games are $6 for adults and senior citizens, and $3 for students.
Schuylkill Haven vs. Pine Grove – Monday, 4:30 p.m.
Monday’s first matchup pits an upstart Schuylkill Haven (14-7, 11-3) program against the defending Class 3A state champions, Pine Grove (18-2, 12-2).
Expect a pitching matchup between Schuylkill Haven’s Allison Scherer (4-4, 3.10 ERA) and Pine Grove’s Jamie Dinger (11-2, 0.44 ERA) on Monday evening.
For Pine Grove, the Cardinals ended their regular season this past Tuesday with a 5-2 loss to Blue Mountain at Susan Stump Stadium. It’s only the fourth game that Pine Grove has lost since the beginning of the 2025 season.
Otherwise, this season, the Cardinals were nearly unbeatable, outscoring opponents 213-22 on the season.
Top hitters to watch for include Pine Grove’s Callee Leffler, who has 11 home runs this season with 38 RBI and a .688 batting average. Both Hannah Aungst and Lilly Flynn finished the regular season with over 20 RBI, driving in 27 and 20, respectively.
Entering the season, Schuylkill Haven was considered a wild card in the league thanks to a talented but young roster.
While the youth movement took a few weeks for the Hurricanes to find its footing, starting their season 3-6 overall. They thrived down the stretch, winning 11 of their final 12 games.
They’ll be led at the plate by Aisley Jenan and Joie Schoffstall.
Jenan is hitting an impressive .544 with 15 extra base hits and 31 RBI, while Schoffstall has contributed 20 extra base hits of her own and 29 RBI.
Williams Valley vs North Schuylkill – Monday, 6:30 p.m.
Game two on Monday is an intriguing matchup between two potential title contenders in Williams Valley and North Schuylkill.
North Schuylkill (17-4, 11-3), despite finishing third in Division I, is a true contender itself with arguably the deepest lineup in the Schuylkill League.
The Spartans lost this season’s games to Tri-Valley, Blue Mountain twice, and Pine Grove.
After losing two of three games in late April to Blue Mountain and Pine Grove, with a win against Panther Valley sandwiched between, the Spartans finished the regular season with four straight wins.
The Spartans are expected to start Brigid Flynn (12-4, 1.86 ERA) in the matchup.
Three Spartans finished the season with over 20 RBI, including Gianna Capone, who hit .517 with five home runs and 32 RBI; Mallorie Croker, with 10 doubles, one home run, and 26 RBI; and Lyza Holmes, who collected a trio of home runs and 21 RBI.
Seven North Schuylkill hitters hit home runs this season, with five hitting multiple, including four each from Jordanna Frie and Brigid Flynn.
Williams Valley led Division II for most of the season, but saw the division title slip from its grasp due to a three-game losing streak with losses to Schuylkill Haven, Minersville, and Tri-Valley. The Vikings did end the season on a high note, however, with a 16-1 win over Nativity.
This is a Vikings team that, when playing at its best, can beat anyone, and the late-season struggles don’t change that. They’ve outscored opponents this season 221-56.
Olivia Hand has been spectacular both in the circle with a 2.80 ERA and at the plate, hitting .397 with five home runs and 35 RBI in 58 plate appearances. Megan Perhach has also been a tough out with a .453 batting average, two home runs, four doubles, and 22 RBI.
First round byes – Blue Mountain and Tri-Valley
Blue Mountain (19-1, 13-1) will enter the postseason with nine straight wins, playing its best softball of the season.
Emily Leonard has been phenomenal in the circle this year with a 1.05 ERA, while the Eagles have multiple regulars hitting over .350.
Leading the way is Addyson Fishburn with a .562 batting average and 17 RBI. Also making major contributions is Anna Borden, hitting .508 with 25 RBI, and Emmerson Frie, hitting .397 with four home runs and a team high 31 RBI.
The Eagles will await the winner of Williams Valley and North Schuylkill.
Tri-Valley (15-4, 11-2) enters the Schuylkill League playoffs as winners of eight straight, with wins over Marian Catholic, Williams Valley, and Weatherly over the last week.
Mya Schwalm will likely be in the circle for the Bulldogs in their semifinal match-up, posting a 2.61 ERA this season in 47.2 innings.
Offensively, they’re led by Summer Cupsta-Klinger, who has hit over .560 this season with 21 RBI. Mya Schwalm has also been terrific at the plate with 31 runs driven in this season and hitting .472.
The Bulldogs will take on the winner of Pine Grove vs. Schuylkill Haven.