This wasn’t the moment Neshannock had been waiting for. Heck, the Lancers insist they didn’t even mention it to one another before it happened. But history was made nonetheless on a beautiful Monday afternoon at Neshannock High School.
Playing on their home field for the final time this season, the Lancers (21-0) dispatched District 6 runner-up Penns Valley (16-6) by a score of 9-0 in the first round of the PIAA Class 2A tournament, breaking a tie with Hempfield for the longest winning streak in WPIAL history. Hempfield won 46 in a row from 2016-18 while winning three consecutive PIAA titles, but Neshannock now stands alone with 47 wins in a row and counting.
Now, the Lancers can finally focus their sole attention onto their mission of winning back-to-back state titles — albeit with a little bit more history at stake. No WPIAL team has ever completed back-to-back perfect seasons, but Neshannock is now three wins away from becoming the first.
There was no big celebration on the field after the win to commemorate the moment on Monday, but you’ll have to forgive the Lancers for having bigger fish to fry.
“We’ve got to make sure we don’t let up,” Neshannock coach Jackie Lash said. “We’ve got to keep ramping it up from here.”
In the final home game of her high school career, No. 9 hitter Jadyn Malizia had a game to remember for the Lancers, finishing 2 for 3 with an RBI triple and a run scored in the win. Malizia’s triple came in her final career at-bat on her home field.
“If I’m being honest, I didn’t even think about [playing my last home game],” Malizia said. “I just focused on the game, but it’s crazy. It’s weird. It’s kind of sad, too. But we’re excited.”
Sophomore star Addy Frye was up to her old tricks again, hurling a complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts and no walks. Frye, who grew up in Sharpsville, will get a chance to face her friends and former childhood teammates when Neshannock faces the District 10 champions in a PIAA quarterfinal matchup on Thursday. The Lancers won a regular-season meeting between the teams on March 27, 11-1.
“Playing [Sharpsville] at the beginning of the season kind of helped,” Frye said. “I know about all of them. I’ve played rec ball with them. It’s actually fun. … They’re my friends. Not friends on the field, but we’re longtime friends. It’s just a fun game.”
Fresh off winning its second consecutive WPIAL title on Thursday, Neshannock’s high-octane offense appeared to come out a bit flat early on — at least by its own lofty standards. But the Lancers still found a way to manufacture three runs in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk and RBI groundout followed by a sacrifice fly by junior Gabby Perod. Freshman Jaidon Nogay then singled home her older sister, senior Aaralyn Nogay, to make it a 4-0 lead after two.
After another scoreless inning by Frye, Neshannock made it a 5-0 lead after three thanks to a walk by Perod, a single by junior Ali Giordano and a throwing error. Perod then added another sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth, then sophomore Gabby Quinn doubled and came home to score on a wild pitch to make it 7-0. Malizia followed with an RBI triple, and Aaralyn Nogay brought her home with an RBI single to make it 9-0 heading into the sixth.
Frye then pitched two more spotless frames to close the deal, ending the game with her 12th strikeout to polish off the shutout.
“She looked so strong,” Lash said about Frye. “She can pitch through anything and has the mentality to make it through.”
Class 6A
• Fresh off a spectacular eight-inning complete game win against Seneca Valley in the WPIAL championship, sophomore star Riley Miller fired a complete-game shutout for Hempfield (19-3) in a 5-0 home win against District 6 champion Mifflin County (12-10). Miller allowed only three hits and struck out eight for the Spartans, while freshman Lauren Howard went 2 for 2 and scored three runs.
Class 5A
• Trinity broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, and sophomore Hanna Suhoski added a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to help put it out of reach for the Hillers (20-2) in an eventual 8-3 win against District 3 fourth-place finisher Solanco (21-4) at North Allegheny High School. Trinity will now face Shaler in a rematch of the WPIAL semifinal showdown won by the Hillers, 5-4.
• Armstrong bounced back from a disappointing championship game defeat against Trinity by trouncing District 3 runner-up Mechanicsburg (22-4), 15-4, at Mechanicsburg High School. Nine different players recorded a hit for the River Hawks (20-2), including juniors Jessie Pugh and Shelby Cloak, who each went 3 for 5 at the plate.
Class 4A
• It was a total team effort for Belle Vernon (19-4) in a 6-3 win against District 3 third-place finisher Trinity (17-7) at Hempfield High School. Maren Metikosh and Lauren VanDivner each doubled and drove in a pair of runs, while six other players recorded hits for the Leopards. Talia Ross entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the seventh, then struck out three batters in a row after walking in a pair of runs to close out the win.
• Junior Shelby Telegdy allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six for Elizabeth Forward (19-1) in a 7-2 win against District 10 champion Cathedral Prep (20-3) at Penn State-Behrend. Freshman Julia Resnik went 3 for 3 with three triples and a walk and drove in a pair, and senior Carlee Soukup went 3 for 4 with a triple and an RBI. The Warriors will now face off with section-rival Belle Vernon for the fourth time this season in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Class 3A
• Junior Alivia Lantzy continued her postseason dominance for Avonworth (22-1), twirling a complete-game gem while allowing two runs on four hits and striking out nine in a 12-2 mercy-rule win against District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf (20-2) at North Allegheny. Lantzy also went 1 for 2 at the plate and drove in a pair, while sophomore Sydney Savatt went 3 for 4 with two triples and two RBIs and sophomore Rylee Gray went 2 for 3 with two RBIs.
Class 1A
• Sophomore Mia Preuhs belted a grand slam and earned the win for Union (18-3) in an 18-3 win in four innings against District 5 runner-up Berlin Brothersvalley (13-9) at Neshannock. Freshman Olivia Benedict went 2 for 4 with five RBIs and a pair of runs scored, while junior Allie Ross went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and four runs and freshman Olivia Williams went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs.
PIAA first-round scores
Class 6A
Hempfield 5, Mifflin County 0
Class 5A
Armstrong 15, Mechanicsburg 4
Shaler 2, Central Mountain 1
Trinity 8, Solanco 3
Class 4A
Belle Vernon 6, Trinity (Camp Hill) 3
Elizabeth Forward 7, Cathedral Prep 2
Montour 5, Bellefonte 2
Class 3A
Avonworth 12, Fort LeBoeuf 2
Chestnut Ridge 4, Southmoreland 1
Jamestown 6, Waynesburg 4
Juniata 1, Burrell 0
Class 2A
Cranberry 8, Greensburg Central Catholic 7
Everett 15, Laurel 12
Neshannock 9, Penns Valley 0
Class 1A
Carmichaels 7, DuBois Central Catholic 0
Chartiers-Houston 13, Cambridge Springs 3
Claysburg-Kimmel 8, Frazier 6
Union 18, Berlin Brothersvalley 3
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
