A pair of area high school baseball teams will play for state championships on Friday.
Elk County Catholic defeated Bishop McCort 1-0 to make the PIAA Class A baseball championship. The Crusaders (26-0) were led by senior pitcher Brandon Schlimm, who pitched a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts on 120 pitches.
Schlimm also led Elk County Catholic with his bat. After his 5th inning triple, Elk County Catholic junior Josh Zelinsky singled home the only run of the game.
Bishop McCort's Brad Coleman threw a complete game for the Crushers with seven strikeouts.
For the Crusaders, the win avenges a 17-0 loss to McCort in the 2012 state semifinals. It also makes a second straight year an Elk County team reaches the Class A championship. Crusaders rival Johnsonburg won the state title a year ago.
In the Class AA baseball semifinals, Central steamrolled District 10 runner-up Northwestern 14-2 to reach its second state championship in four years. The Dragons lost to Bermudian Springs 5-3 in 2010.

Monday's win was Central's second straight win by Mercy Rule. They defeated District 10 champion Franklin 17-7 in the state quarterfinals last Thursday.
Central will face District 4 champion Loyalsock Township in the state championship Friday at 10:30 a.m. The game will be played at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Elk County Catholic will play District 1 champion Devon Prep in the Class A championship at Medlar Field at 3:30 p.m.

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