Scranton Prep’s Johnny Petrosky celebrates as he heads towards home during the baseball game at Volpe Field in Scranton on Monday, April 13, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Mid Valley’s Christian Ellis and Riverside’s Jason Posluszny react to Mid Valley’s Nick Hricenak making it safely to first during the baseball game at Mid Valley High School in Throop on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Wyoming Area’s Jake Snyder (7) celebrates after hitting a double during a baseball game in Kingston on Thursday, May 7, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Pittston Area’s Jack Bernardi (8) and Jacob Harnen (13) celebrate after Bernardi scored during the WVC Division 1 Championship game at Wilkes-Barre Area on Friday, May 15, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Dunmore’s Diego Arias follows teammate Jimmy Clark toward home to score during the baseball game against Holy Cross at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore on Monday, April 20, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Scranton Prep’s Johnny Petrosky celebrates as he heads towards home during the baseball game at Volpe Field in Scranton on Monday, April 13, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Everyone has a chance. That is the best part of the District 2 playoffs. The first 20 games of the season no longer matter. It’s what happens now that means the most. Because with one loss your season could be over.
Of course, there is one exception. That is in Class 4A where two teams advance to the state playoffs. Otherwise, only the winners move on.
The postseason also provides a team that has been slumping down the stretch a few days to work out the kinks and right itself. Take Hazleton Area for example. The Cougars enter the Class 6A tournament on a three-game losing streak. By locking up the No. 2 seed in Class 6A, Hazleton Area gets a first-round bye and a few extra things to get back to playing Hazleton Area baseball.
“When you get to the playoffs you can reset from what happened in the regular season,” Hazleton Area coach Russ Canzler said. “It’s a different version of baseball. We have a lot of guys who have been here before and they can draw on that experience. We are still in good position to try and repeat as district champs.”
Here they come
Scranton Prep is having a typical Scranton Prep kind of season. The Cavaliers began the season 0-5, which ultimately put them near the bottom of the Class 4A standings. Slowly but surely, the Cavaliers started to put things together.
There was a three-game winning streak where they outscored their opponents, 17-3. Then there was a five-game winning streak that brought the Cavaliers back into contention and two wins to close out the regular season over Riverside and Wallenpaupack. The latter victory earned Scranton Prep a share of the Lackawanna League Division I title along with the Buckhorns and Abington Heights.
Now, the Cavaliers find themselves as the No. 3 seed in Class 4A and arguably one of the most dangerous teams in the bracket.
Best of the best
Top seeds in the tournament are MMI Prep in Class 1A, Holy Redeemer in 2A, Riverside in 3A, Wyoming Area in 4A, Pittston Area in 5A and Williamsport in 6A.
With the inclusion of Williamsport, Class 6A is a subregional. Nobody is really sure what they are going to get with the Millionaires. Williamsport in 19-1 and has played some high-level competition throughout the regular season. The Millionaires are always a tough out when it comes to this time of the year.
Aside from Williamsport, the team with the best overall record is Riverside. The Vikings are 18-2 with their only losses coming to Mid Valley and Scranton Prep.
Quick turnaround
With the district finals not being played at PNC Field this year, the championship games are spread out across the final week of May.
Ideally, teams would like to be able to throw their ace in the district final, then come back with enough rest to throw him again in the first round of the PIAA tournament. However, in some cases that may not be able to happen. The Class 5A and 6A championship games are scheduled for May 28. The 2A and 4A championship games are scheduled to be played May 29. Here is where the problem comes in. The state playoffs begins June 1.