North Penn advances to State final behind Lugara’s gem

North Penn is headed back to the PIAA Class 6A baseball championship game for the first time in a decade, thanks to a dominant performance on the mound and just enough offensive spark.

The Knights edged Neshaminy 1-0 in a tense semifinal showdown Monday afternoon at Villanova Ballpark in Plymouth Township, according to Mike Cabrey at The Reporter.

Senior left-hander Trevor Lugara was the difference-maker, tossing a three-hit shutout to secure North Penn’s trip to Friday’s state final against Cedar Cliff.

While the Knights managed only two hits, they made one count. In the bottom of the fourth, Christian Barnes drew a two-out walk and scored from first when Ben Grattan’s deep shot to left resulted in an RBI double — the only run of the game, according to the report.

Lugara, a Bloomsburg commit, calmly handled the rest. He worked out of a sixth-inning jam with a pickoff at second base and then retired Neshaminy in order in the seventh to seal the win, according to the article. He finished with five strikeouts on just 79 pitches, recording his 200th career strikeout along the way, Cabrey reported.

It was North Penn’s sixth shutout of the season, five of them credited to Lugara. The Knights’ defense also delivered, highlighted by a diving catch in center field by Barnes in the fifth inning, according to the article.

Neshaminy’s Chase Bonner was strong on the hill as well, giving up only two hits and striking out six in a complete game, but the District 1 fourth seed fell just short of its first-ever PIAA final appearance, per the report.

North Penn (22-5), winners of the District 1-6A title earlier this postseason, will now look to capture its fourth state crown, having previously won in 2009, 2013, and 2015.

First-time finalist Cedar Cliff awaits them at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

Read more on the semifinal showdown here.