North Penn defeated Neshaminy in a classic PIAA 6A state semifinal game at Villanova Ballpark Monday. Photos courtesy of Greg Lindsay. Check back for a gallery of photos. Photo of Chase Bonner courtesy of Jesse Garber (https://jsgarber.zenfolio.com/p105090573)
PIAA 6A state semifinal
#1-1 NORTH PENN 1, #1-4 NESHAMINY 0
They are living the dream.
The Knights – with 15 seniors on their roster including a manager - earned a trip to Penn State University where they will be going for the trifecta. With a league and district title already in their possession, the Knights will face District 3 runner-up Cedar Cliff for the PIAA 6A state title Friday.
“Our goal all along was to get to Penn State since our freshman year,” NP senior Trevor Lugara said. “We got stopped in this game two years ago, so to get past it this year and to go to State College – that’s awesome.”
Lugara certainly did his part to ensure the Knights would be making the trip, winning a classic pitcher’s duel against Neshaminy ace Chase Bonner. The duo allowed just five hits combined – three were by the Redskins.
“I don’t think I had my best stuff today,” Lugara said. “A lot of those balls were hit as hard as they were because I wasn’t hitting my spots as great.”
Lugara – who collected his 200th strikeout with his fourth of the game in the fifth inning – was once again remarkably efficient and needed just 79 pitches in the complete game win. Fifty-five of those were strikes.
“The biggest thing with Trevor is he gets stronger as the game goes,” coach Kevin Manero said. “That’s just gutsiness, that’s hunger, that’s just being a bulldog on the mound.
“He didn’t have his best stuff in the first inning. He had 19 pitches in the first inning. A day like today – I don’t want to say anxiety, but you’ve got a lot on the line. It’s easy to go out there and squeeze and not have your best stuff. He got through those first two innings with an abnormally high pitch count, but from there, he just cruised.
“I’ve got to say – when we score one run for Trevor, it feels like we’re up 5-0. You just feel like once you get one or two and you’re in the middle innings, he does his best work, and it’s such a comfortable place to be.”
The Redskins had a pair of baserunners in the first inning. Brandon Lall drew a one-out walk, and with two outs, Dan Marable lined a single to center. Lugara retired the next batter he faced, the first of 15 in a row.
The Knights, meanwhile, got the only run Lugara would need in the fourth when – after a double play looked as though it might bring a quick end to the inning – Christian Barnes drew a walk and scored on Ben Grattan’s line drive double to left field.
“In my first at-bat, he was missing a little high, and I knew talking to the other guys that he was getting a little tired throughout the game, and he was still missing up,” Grattan said. “I got down 0-1, and I kind of just stuck true to my approach and saw a pitch right out of his hand and just stayed short and quick to the ball and made it happen.”
Like his coach, Grattan felt equally confident giving Lugara a 1-0 lead.
“Having him on the mound is amazing,” the Knights’ junior left fielder said. “He’s been my best friend since first grade, and playing behind him is awesome. So, I know that if we just scrap one or two runs, we’re going to be all right, and it felt absolutely amazing to scrap one for him there.”
In the top of the sixth, the Redskins broke Lugara’s string of retiring 15 in a row with two-out consecutive singles by Lall and Chase Bonner, a rally that came to an end when Lugara and shortstop Kevin Brace combined for a pick-off play at second base.
Lugara retired the ‘Skins in order in the top of the seventh, and the Knights are bound for Friday’s state title game at Penn State.
“It means the absolute world to me, and I know it means the world to all of our guys here,” Grattan said. “We’ve worked so hard throughout the years for this. We’ve come up short the last couple of years, but that makes it feel even better right now.”
Added Brace, “This means everything. After losing two years ago, we kind of knew 2025 was going to be our year.
“We had five sophomores in the starting lineup in that game, and we just fell short. This year, it’s almost like the tables have turned. We did a 180, and we improved ourselves, and we improved our game.”
On the other side of the diamond, Bonner turned in a superb outing of his own for a young Neshaminy squad with just three seniors in its starting lineup. The junior pitcher allowed only two hits while walking three and striking out six. He threw 88 pitches in the complete game effort.
By the numbers: North Penn: Trevor Lugara (W) (7.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 5K)
Ben Grattan (1-for-2, 2B, 1RBI)
Neshaminy: Chase Bonner (6.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 6K)
Key innings: Top of fourth: Chase Jones drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by courtesy runner Brady Dolder, who was stealing and doubled off first when Mason Coyne’s rocket to left field was caught by left fielder Michael Welsh, who threw to shortstop Brandon Lall to first baseman Noah Wallace.
Top of sixth: With two outs, Lall and Bonner hit back-to-back singles. Cleanup batter Dan Marable stepped into the batter’s box, but before Lugara ever threw a pitch, he threw to shortstop Kevin Brace at second for a pickoff that ended the inning and Neshaminy’s threat.
North Penn coach Kevin Manero on playing for a state title: “These kids – first of all, two years ago, they were young, they were super young, and we lost to Father Judge (4-1) in the semifinal. Four of them were in the starting lineup, and then last year, I just didn’t think we had a great offseason. We had a nice run last year – we went to states, but when we lost last year, we lost bad to teams that were way better than us – bigger, stronger, everything. So, the week after the season ended last year, we had a meeting with all the returning players, and we talked about – they needed to get stronger, they needed to get bigger, they needed to get faster, and they went to it right away, I mean right away.
“They had so much hunger. They’ve been playing together for long. We’ve been there before. We know how cool it is when you get to State College, and they haven’t. I just wanted to go so bad for them.”
Neshaminy coach Dan Toner: “From what our early expectations were to what our final result was, we were very happy. Obviously, we want to get to the final, but to finish as one of the four remaining teams in 6A baseball is impressive. Our young players got a ton of experience and can use that next year to help them achieve their season goals. Our team is mostly juniors and sophomores, so that’s very encouraging entering next season.”
--Bonner delivers on mound: “Chase had a great game once again. We made a mistake on defense, which would have been the third out, that ultimately led to the only run that was scored. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. He battled the entire game.”
--Tip of the hat to Knights: “Offensively, we found some barrels, but North Penn’s defense made all the plays. Their outfield play was very impressive today.
“Good luck to North Penn in the State Final”
The pickoff play: In a play that will be replayed countless times, Trevor Lugara and Kevin Brace teamed up for a huge pickoff play at second base. It came with two on and two outs in the sixth inning with Neshaminy’s cleanup batter Dan Marable stepping to the plate.
“So, their four-hitter was up, and I could just read Trevor – I knew he didn’t want to pitch to him, so we could get an out without throwing a pitch,” Brace said. “I saw he had a big lead and was kind of lazy with it, so I just put on the call on.”
It turned out to be perfect timing.
“Back-to-back singles and then the four hitter comes up,” Lugara said. “I didn’t want to pitch to him, and nobody in the field wanted to be out there anymore. We needed to get in the dugout.
“I was ready for it, he was ready for it, and the second I went up and I saw him jump, I knew he was out.”
Manero credited the duo for a play that ended the Redskins’ final threat of the game.
“The play Kevin Brace put on with the pickoff at second base – that’s senior leadership right there,” the Knights’ coach said. “They’ve worked that play so many times this year. We have that (play) when we have to get out of an inning. That’s why you have those things in your toolbox.
“Our seniors are so good at pushing the right buttons at the right time. That’s where you just cannot substitute experience and leadership.”
Getting defensive: There were defensive gems galore in Monday’s state semifinal game. There was the line drive to left field on a Knights’ steal attempt in the bottom of the fourth that Neshaminy left fielder Michael Welsh caught and turned into a double play.
Not to be outdone, North Penn’s Christian Barnes delivered a spectacular diving catch in center field for the first out of the fifth inning.
“Christian Barnes told me before the game – he said he’s not leaving a ball drop all day in center field, and he did not do that,” Lugara said. “Him making a diving play, (right fielder) Jeremiah Criger making a diving play. All the outfielders making plays all over.
“Infielders – there’s no doubt. Every time the ball’s going to them, there’s going to be a play made. As a pitcher, it just makes you feel awesome.”
“Our outfielders took so many hits away today,” Manero said. “I say always with outfielders – arms are nice, but people that take hits away are what wins games. We got good reads on the balls today, and we made some fantastic plays. It was a total team effort.”
With two outs in the fifth inning, Neshaminy third baseman Nick Sassano made a diving stab of NP leadoff batter Kevin Brace’s screaming shot in the shortstop hole. He jumped to his feet and fired to first the inning’s third out.
Up next: North Penn (22-5, 10-5 SOL) will face District 3 runner-up Cedar Cliff in Friday’s PIAA 6A title game at Penn State’s Medlar Park (4:30 pm). Cedar Cliff defeated District 11 runner-up Liberty 3-2 in the other state semifinal.
Neshaminy closed out its season with a 17-9 record, 11-4 in the SOL.
Neshaminy 000 000 0 0-3-0
North Penn 000 100 x 1-2-0
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