Laurel gets its revenge, and another shot at Neshannock, with win over Bentworth

By: Michael Love
Thursday, June 6, 2024 | 9:59 PM

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Bentworth and Laurel met for the second time in two weeks Thursday in a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal at Gateway.

The first matchup went the way of the Bearcats in a low-scoring, one-run classic in the WPIAL semifinals.

Monday’s rematch featured a few more runs — and a different result.

Spartans sophomore shortstop Mayci Lang homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored two more, and senior Youngstown State commit Autumn Boyd allowed just two hits and struck out 14 in a 5-3 victory.

“It was an amazing feeling to get this win,” Lang said. “We worked our butts off in practice to be ready for this game. We knew what kind of team Bentworth was from playing them before. We did everything we could to come to this moment and have the opportunity to move on.”

Laurel, which entered the quarterfinal round off a 4-1 win Monday over District 9 champion Cranberry, improved to 20-5 overall. The Spartans are moving on to a third game against section rival Neshannock (24-0).

When the Bearcats and Spartans took the field just after 5 p.m. Thursday, both knew the winner would have the rematch with the Lancers.

Neshannock punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 5-0 win over District 10 champion Saegertown a few hours earlier at Allegheny College.

The site and time for Monday’s third game between Neshannock and Laurel will be determined Friday.

The Lancers won the two regular season meetings, 3-0 and 5-1, en route to claiming the Section 1 title.

“Our goal is State College, and it has been all year long,” Laurel coach Frank Duddy said. “We took one step closer today. We get another shot at Neshannock. We haven’t had a lot of success against them the past couple of years, including this year, but I like where we’re at with our mindset and our confidence. I think it’s going to be a good game on Monday.”

Bentworth, which concluded its season at 18-4, hoped for a rematch of a 3-0 loss to Neshannock in the WPIAL title game May 30 at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.

But the Bearcats, with no seniors on the 10-player roster, were not able to battle all the way back from an early 4-0 deficit.

“It wasn’t the way we wanted it to go today, but there were some positive feelings after,” Bearcats coach Jack Cramer said. “We told the girls that they have to buy in and put the time in to be able to come back next season and do the same things and go even further. The girls saw what it takes. They saw (Laurel) over there cheering and celebrating. I am confident that one day it will be them. They’re young, and they’re going to step up.”

Six of the eight runs scored in the game – three from each team – came in a busy third inning.

Lang got Laurel on the board with a solo homer in the first, and she made it 3-0 with a one-out double off of Bentworth freshman Sydney Gonglik.

First baseman Addie Deal, a St. Francis (Pa.) commit, followed with a solo shot to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Gonglik helped herself and closed the gap with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third.

Boyd gave up a pair of walks to Hailey Tatar and Aubrie Logan before Gonglik crushed a Boyd offering over the fence in center field to draw Bentworth to within one at 4-3.

It was Gonglik’s 10th of the season.

“Autumn had that one hanger, but other than that, she was so solid for us,” Duddy said. “She’s been a rock all season for us. She had a couple of losses earlier in the season, but that is what toughened her and toughened the whole team for games like this.”

Boyd helped herself in the top of the sixth as she doubled with one out to make it 5-3.

She retired the final seven Bearcats she faced, striking out three of them to help finish off the win. Her third strikeout of the game in the second inning was the 500th for her career.

Gonglik struck out six over the first two innings with Lang’s homer the only blemish. She finished with 11 strikeouts in an encore to her 14-strikeout performance in Monday’s 4-1 win over defending state champion Everett.

“Those first couple of girls in that lineup can really hit the ball,” Cramer said. “If they get on it, it’s going. That’s just the way it goes sometimes. The last time we played them, those girls didn’t hurt us that way. Sydney still pitched a pretty good game (Thursday). She’s only a freshman, and Autumn’s a senior.”

Gonglik walked none and gave up six hits. Four of the six came in Laurel’s three-run third. Only three of the five runs were earned as errors led to one of Laurel’s three runs in the third and its run in the sixth.

“We did not want a repeat of what happened in the WPIAL semifinals (a 2-1 Bentworth win),” Duddy said. “I am really proud of the girls. They worked their butts off on timing. Gonglik is a very good pitcher. I am just pleased with our approach at the plate and what we were able to do to score the runs we did.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Bentworth, Laurel