Pottsville’s road to the PIAA Class AAA baseball championship will take a detour through the Lehigh Valley.
The PIAA announced Friday that the District 11 champion Crimson Tide will take on District 2 winner Abington Heights at 4 p.m. Monday at Easton High School.
At the same time, District 3 champ Donegal will play District 7 titlist Knoch at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson.
The winners will advance to Friday’s championship game at Penn State University’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Game time is 12:30 p.m.
Pottsville’s pitching has carried the Tide to the semifinals as they edged Spring Grove 1-0 and Twin Valley 2-1.
In districts, Pottsville defeated Palmerton 8-0, Tamaqua 4-1 and Blue Mountain 6-3.
Abington Heights defeated Jersey Shore 1-0 and Manheim Central 6 -1 to make the final four.
While the Tide are the only local team remaining in the state playoffs, two of Schuylkill County’s prime diamonds will host games Monday.
At Pine Grove’s Stump Stadium, District 11 champion Parkland will meet District 2 winner Wyoming Valley West at 4 p.m. in a Class AAAA baseball semifinal.
At Blue Mountain’s Patton Field, District 11 champ Bethlehem Catholic will square off against District 2 victor Nanticoke at 4:30 p.m. in a Class AAA softball semifinal.