Get ready for a couple of changes in PIAA high school sports over the next few years.

Baseball is in its second season of playing two-game series in section competition. This was a good move in that teams sporting a standout ace pitcher can no longer load him up to throw every section game.

The two-game series, coupled with the pitch count rule that forces a pitcher off the mound at 100 pitches, greatly benefits teams with deep mound staffs. And it should.

Beginning next spring, deep pitching staffs will be critical as two-game section series will expand to three-game series. Sweeping an opponent will be difficult. Getting swept could spell disaster.

But any rule that encourages teams to expand their rotations on the mound is a plus in my book.

The other big change on the horizon is the shot clock coming to Pennsylvania high school basketball. The often-discussed change to the game will take effect in Pennsylvania beginning with the 2024-25 season.

Schools need time to get the proper equipment in place, so once this next two-year cycle of high school sports ends, the shot clock arrives.

How many seconds on the shot clock has not been finalized, but to me, it doesn’t matter.

I like the shot clock in the NBA, though 24 seconds seems a little quick to me. I like the shot clock in college basketball as well.

But the high school game? Leave it out.

My opinion may be in the minority here, but high school basketball is a different animal. A school cannot go out and recruit or sign players. (OK, I’ll give the private school bashers a moment or two to refute that point.)

Now let’s move on.

Some high school teams may not be equipped to play a fast-paced game. In some cases, a fast-paced game may encourage and produce more lopsided scores. Playing a deliberate style to stay competitive in a basketball game should be an available and legal strategy.

Does a shot clock make a basketball game more entertaining to watch? Definitely.

Does it promote more scoring and more action? Absolutely.

But to me, one of the charms of high school basketball is the difference in style of game and pace of play. Walk into a gym and you may see a 44-40 score or a 90-85 shootout.

I’ve seen hundreds of high school basketball games. It’s a great sport the way it is. Adding a shot clock to the mix simply isn’t necessary.

Don’t like me holding on to the ball, passing it around the perimeter? Come out and get it. Play defense. Force a mistake.

Pitching depth in high school baseball is a good thing. It makes a three-game series much more competitive.

A shot clock in high school basketball might make a lot of games less competitive.

We shall see.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle