The WPIAL baseball playoffs have brought the North Allegheny offense to life.

North Allegheny had another strong hitting game yesterday, and the Tigers knocked off Bethel Park, 8-5, in a WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal at Washington & Jefferson College.

In two playoff games, North Allegheny (15-6) has scored 22 runs. The Tigers knocked off Hempfield, 14-2, in the first round.

In the regular season, North Allegheny scored eight runs or more only five times.

"We've been hitting the ball probably better now than we have all year," said Andy Maddox, North Allegheny's first-year coach. "We're starting to click and we're feeling pretty good about ourselves. We're hitting 1 through 9 right now."

Bethel Park (12-9) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but North Allegheny busted loose for seven runs in the bottom of the second. Mike Zelik had a two-run double and Mike O'Neil a two-run triple.

Bethel Park scored three runs in the top of the fifth to make things interesting. In the seventh, Bethel Park had runners on first and second with no outs, but relief pitcher Greg Piehler worked out of the jam.

More Class AAAA

• Shaler 12, Gateway 2: Shaler (14-6) banged 13 hits in rolling to the first-round victory at Washington & Jefferson College. Shaler's John Kobler and Ed Skonieczny were both 3 for 4, and Kobler hit a two-run homer. Shaler took a 6-1 lead after three innings, and Gateway never recovered. Gateway (11-9) managed only four hits off Shaler pitcher Erik Fichter. One of its runs scored on a wild pitch.

Class AAA

• Trinity 2, Hampton 0: This quarterfinal game turned into a pitchers' duel, but Trinity (15-6) squeezed out the win at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township. Trinity pitcher Tyler Schrader pitched a two-hitter, while Hampton's Cory McGinnis tossed a three-hitter. The game was scoreless until Trinity scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Class A

• Rochester 6, Chartiers-Houston 4: Rochester (17-4) scored two runs in the top of the seventh to pull out the quarterfinal win at the Burkett Complex. Jimmy Battaglia's hit drove in both runs. Teammate Cameron Palakovich was 2 for 3, including a two-run homer. Char-Houston's Andy Tetras was 3 for 3, including a solo home run.

• Union 4, Springdale 1: Union's Matt Adamo and Matt Tyson combined on a five-hitter as Union (12-7) knocked off No. 1 seed Springdale (16-3) at North Allegheny. Matt Ault and Markus Allen both were 2 for 3 for Union.

• Carmichaels 5, Vincentian 4: Carmichaels (18-1) needed nine innings to pull out the win against Vincentian (11-8) at the Burkett Complex.

City League

• Carrick 4, Schenley 2: Dan Horhut and Drew Staude combined for a three-hitter to lead Carrick (13-7) to the quarterfinal win against Schenley (3-13). Ted Fricke had two hits and Scott Girdwood a two-run single.