Any time, any place, any opponent — some teams claim to embrace this motto, but the Neshannock Lancers live by it.
Friday’s highly anticipated WPIAL Class 2A semifinal clash against No. 12 Bentworth was just another prime example — as if anybody needed further proof. Following two consecutive days of weather-related postponements and a venue change to a field about 55 miles away from Neshannock, the Lancers stormed out to an early lead against Bearcats pitching phenom Sydney Gonglik and never looked back, taking home a 4-1 win at Pleasant Valley Elementary School to clinch their fourth consecutive trip to the WPIAL title game.
“We’ve been ready to play since Wednesday,” said Neshannock coach Jackie Lash. “This venue change and knowing that we had a lot farther to drive — especially compared to Bentworth — it didn’t get these girls down. It just fired them up more. I just think they came out and played well today.”
Although the Lancers had to endure a bus ride of more than an hour to get to the field, Lash heard zero complaints from the players about the last-minute changes. Instead, the team’s group chat was filled with positive vibes leading up to the game, and Neshannock wasted no time setting the tone with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. After a leadoff triple by Kent State recruit Miley Anderson, her future college teammate Gabby Quinn swatted a go-ahead two-run homer to get the scoring started.
As for Providence recruit Addy Frye, the reigning Pennsylvania Pitcher of the Year delivered another magnificent outing for the Lancers, allowing one run on three hits while striking out 15 and walking none in a rematch of last year’s WPIAL Class 2A championship game. Frye also helped her own cause with a solo home run, and No. 8 hitter Gianna DiSalvo provided a big insurance run with an RBI double off Gonglik, who allowed four runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks.
“[Frye and Quinn] just knew what pitches they were looking for,” Lash said. “Both of them were solid, line shots right over the fence. It’s just nice to see the adjustments they can make from game to game and pitcher to pitcher.”
With Friday’s victory, Neshannock improved its overall record to 95-1 over the past four seasons, and the Lancers are now one win away from tying their own WPIAL-record 48-game winning streak. Of course, doing so would also bring them their fourth consecutive WPIAL title — but it won’t be easy with reigning WPIAL Class 1A champion Chartiers-Houston standing in the way.
“We’re going to keep working on that positive mindset, knowing we’re facing good competition,” Lash said. “Sometimes things don’t go your way. You just have to fight your way through it, and I think these girls always have the mindset to do that. … I know [the players] are ready to shift gears here and play a team that, based on everything I read and see in the media, seems very similar to us.”
Other Class 2A semifinal
• Star senior Ella Richey went 3 for 4 with a pair of home runs for No. 2 Chartiers-Houston (20-1) — giving her 11 homers on the season and 42 for her career — and all-state shortstop Lauren Rush also went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs to lead the Buccaneers to a 7-1 win against No. 11 Riverside (9-9) at Montour. Kent State recruit Meadow Ferri pitched a complete game and struck out eight while allowing zero earned runs on four hits and four walks to pick up the win.
Class 3A semifinals
• Addy Moskal went 3 for 4 with a double, a walk, three RBIs and two runs scored, while Mylie Pistorius went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs for defending WPIAL champion Mohawk in a lopsided 12-2 win against No. 3 Ellwood City (11-9) at Neshannock. Winning pitcher Reagan Magno walked seven batters but allowed only one earned run in six innings of work. The No. 7 and No. 8 batters in the lineup, Makenna Stewart and Ashlee Masters each registered two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored for the No. 2 Warriors (15-5), who scored in each of the first four innings before exploding for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to activate the mercy rule.
• Kylie Mettrick reached base in each of her four trips to the plate, hitting a home run and drawing three walks while scoring three runs for No. 1 South Park in a 9-6 win against No. 4 Avonworth at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Sydney Sekely allowed four earned runs on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in the win, and the ace pitcher added a pair of hits to help send the unbeaten Eagles (20-0) back to the WPIAL title game for the second year in a row. Emma Obersteiner went 2 for 3 with a home run for the Antelopes (15-6), while Abby Brooks also homered and Sydney Savatt added a pair of hits in the defeat.
Class 1A semifinals
• Mia Preuhs authored perhaps the finest performance yet of her stellar career, going 3 for 3 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored while pitching three shutout innings with six strikeouts for No. 1 Union in 15-0 mercy-rule victory against No. 5 Jefferson-Morgan (10-7) at Montour. Korynne Shannon also homered twice and drove in five runs for the Scotties (18-2), while Irelyn Fisher went 2 for 4 with a home run, a double and four RBIs, powering Union to its sixth consecutive WPIAL championship appearance.
• Bailey Barnyak pitched her second consecutive postseason shutout, striking out 12 and allowing only three hits for No. 2 Carmichaels in a 10-0 mercy-rule win against No. 3 West Greene (15-4) at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Carys McConnell went 3 for 3 with a double and a pair of runs scored in the win, while Ali Jacobs went 2 for 2 with a double and four RBIs for the unbeaten Mighty Mikes (16-0), who defeated the Pioneers for the third time this season.
Scoreboard
Class 3A semifinals
Mohawk 12, Ellwood City 2
South Park 9, Avonworth 6
Class 2A semifinals
Chartiers-Houston 7, Riverside 1
Neshannock 4, Bentworth 1
Class 1A semifinals
Carmichaels 10, West Greene 0
Union 15, Jefferson-Morgan 0
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
