Lady Lancers punch their ticket to state championship

Jun. 14—The fourth time wasn't the charm for the Laurel High softball team Monday afternoon in a matchup against Neshannock.

The Lady Lancers defeated Laurel, 13-6, in the PIAA Class 2A semifinals held at Westminster College. Four of the five losses that the Lady Spartans had this season came at the hands of Neshannock.

"It feels fantastic. What a day," Neshannock coach Jackie Lash said on the victory. "These kids have worked so hard for this and we're approaching goal number three so very, very proud of them. I know Laurel from game one to game two to game three, game four. Every time they improve, they get better. I know they got great players on that team so you just know you're in for a good battle whenever you play them again."

The Lady Lancers advance to the PIAA Class 2A championship at 11 a.m. Friday at Penn State University. They will square off against Conwell-Egan, a 7-2 victory over Claysburg-Kimmel.

Neshannock (25-0) had 12 hits and one error while Laurel had five hits and one error. This is the farthest Laurel softball has gone in school history in the PIAA playoffs.

"That's the truth. We've never been that far," Laurel coach Frank Duddy said. "After that loss in the WPIAL semifinals to Neshannock, we refocused, we knuckled down and worked on a lot of stuff. Our defense faltered a little bit today.

"I think what you saw today was two top of the line 2A softball teams. We battled, they got us four times this year, what else can I say. They are a formidable foe and I think they're going to do good at State College and I wish them all the luck. We're going to regroup and come back next year and give it another shot. I'm very proud of my girls for the season they had; that was a nice run."

Addy Frye (20-0) earned the victory. She went the distance and relinquished five hits, six runs — two earned — with three walks and five strikeouts.

"I think she did well," Lash said of Frye. "I'll be honest, (the umpire) had a very tight strike zone. Some of the pitches that looked like they're coming right on the outside of the plate. Even Gabby Perod, who I think is one heck of a catcher, she's going to tell me, 'No we're too far out.' Gabby said, 'Hey, we got to stay away from the outside he's not giving us anything.' You're subject to whatever the umpire's zone is and so we were a little tighter today."

The Lady Spartans (19-5) struck first with Georgia Jellyman hitting a fly out to right field in the bottom of the first inning allowing Madison Maine to score after tagging up to make the score 1-0.

In the top of the third, Neleh Nogay singled on a bunt to bring home Ali Giordano to tie the game at one. Nogay had four RBIs.

"We have been practicing hitting so much at practice," Nogay said. "I'm glad that it paid off."

Neshannock took the lead in the top of the fourth after Gabby Perod plated a run after a line drive to center field to make the score, 2-1.

The Lady Spartans responded in the bottom of the fourth with Eva Kuth hitting a triple to bring home Grace Zeppelin to tie the game at two. Alexis Brua brought home Zeppelin and made it to first base after an error from Giordano to take the lead back.

Autumn Boyd got two RBIs on a single in the fourth to make Laurel's lead over Neshannock, 5-2.

Boyd took the loss for Laurel. She pitched 4 2/3 innings and surrendered six hits, eight runs — three earned — with four walks and three strikeouts.

"Autumn's a workhorse and we ran her out there and she did what she could do," Duddy said. "I think she got drained in this heat. She did what she could for us."

Neleh Nogay grounded out in the top of the fifth inning to bring home Katie DiMuccio.

With two outs in the fifth, Aaralyn Nogay hit an inside-the-park home run to narrow Laurel's lead to 5-4.

"I didn't realize that I was going to go home," the younger Nogay said. "I thought I just had a triple so it was pretty cool. My first two at-bats were definitely a little rough, very rough but then as soon as I hit that third one I knew we were going to be okay. Especially on two outs, I think we might be the best two-out hitting team around."

Gabby Quinn opened it up in the fifth after hitting a triple to plate two more runs and then scored on a passed ball to make it 7-5. Quinn had two RBIs.

"I want to say it was very close. Kind of wish it went out a little bit, that would've made my life a lot easier." Quinn said of the triple. "I was really worried for a second there but it felt really good because I knew my team needed me and I always want to pull through for them and it was very good to be able to do that. My third-base coach said, 'Anything gets past, you're going.' I listened to it and I just went and it was kind of just pure adrenaline."

Boyd was relieved by Grace Kissick after walking Katherine Nativio in the fifth.

"I thought we needed a change and that's why I went to Gracie. Gracie's a very confident pitcher," Duddy said. "Neshannock hits the ball and when they go out there we had to play defense. I'm not saying we gave them a game, they did a lot and they earned a lot of those runs. It felt like that one inning we gave them a lot of runs it felt like it zapped the energy from us."

Aubrie Ragone, courtesy runner for Perod, scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to make Neshannock's lead 8-5.

"Momentum. Fantastic," Lash said. "These girls, we just told them, probably the best two-out rally team you're going to find. We've had a couple games throughout the year that, down at Armstrong I know one of our innings, we had to come from behind and I believe we did it on two outs. They're not giving up. They're going to keep fighting; they're just going keep putting the bat on the ball. I think Donny Nogay did a great job of calling offensive plays because keeping them a little off balance in the field, throwing in some bunts with some big hits and the base running was just phenomenal. Just a great effort all around in that fifth inning."

The Lady Lancers added five more points in the top of the seventh to cushion their lead.

Giordano singled on a fly ball to get Quinn home in the seventh. The older Nogay doubled on a line drive to center field to get two more runs in while the younger Nogay hit a triple to bring home her sister.

The younger Nogay scored a run on a passed ball in the seventh. The younger Nogay had two RBIs.

Bekah Valenti got home after Addison Deal lined out to center field in the bottom of the seventh inning. The older Nogay made all three outs from center field in the seventh to end the game.

"We faced them so many times that I know which side they most likely will hit to," the older Nogay said on the outs. "I'm able to judge where the ball might go."

The Lady Spartans lose two seniors, Jenna Fabian and Valenti, on their roster.

"We get senior leadership from those seniors. Jenna's not an everyday player but she's vital to our outfit," Duddy said. "Bekah was our catcher starting the season. She got an injury in that very first Neshannock game; she was down for six weeks. When we got her back to just kind of take a little pounding of every pitch off that wrist we put Alexi Brua behind the plate."

Duddy praised his coaching staff for putting players in different positions like Valenti and changing things up to progress in the playoffs.