2-Time Defending Champ Riverside Earns Preseason Top Ranking

Your two-time defending WPIAL Champion Riverside Panthers are slotted as preseason #1 for Class-3A, Section 2 according to an WPIAL baseball social media account.  Following the Panthers in the section ranking is Ellwood City in third place.

Both Riverside and Ellwood City baseball teams begin play next week with scrimmage games scheduled.  Riverside will host Western Beaver on Friday, March 16 at 4:00pm while Ellwood City will also host a home scrimmage game versus Moon Area at 4:30pm.

#WPIALBaseball Preseason Rankings for 3A Section 2! pic.twitter.com/2P5YOPR0xF

— WPIAL Baseball (@wpial_baseball) March 9, 2018

Riverside finished last year undefeated in the section and 15-1 overall in the regular season.  The team garnered six all section players and defeated Mount Pleasant for its second consecutive (5th overall) WPIAL baseball title in May.

[READ: Back-to-back: Riverside defends WPIAL throne, collects 3A Championship]

The Panthers repeated in a very unusual. Riverside won last year’s title game by a shutout, which means Riverside is only the second team in 80 years to win two consecutive WPIAL titles while allowing only one run.

For Riverside, who will be seeking a 3-peat this season, the team will feature several ‘players to watch’ according to the WPIAL Baseball account.  Gunnar Boehm is noted for offense and defense while Ty Thellman is noted as an offensive player to watch.

Here is your Preseason Players to Watch in 3A!#WPIALBaseball pic.twitter.com/4umNDpHm9s

— WPIAL Baseball (@wpial_baseball) March 2, 2018

For Ellwood City, who finished 11-9 overall last year (7-5 section), but fell in the WPIAL semifinals to eventual runner up Mt. Pleasant, the team will be lead by noted pitcher Noah Rinker.