Trib HSSN softball player of the week – Sydney Gonglik

School – Bentworth

Class – Junior

Position – Pitcher

#Earned – Two years ago, Sydney Gonglik burst on to the WPIAL softball landscape with a fabulous freshman season.

She led the WPIAL in strikeouts during the 2024 regular season with 226.

Her final numbers in the circle that season were incredible with a 17-3 record, 271 strikeouts, only 13 walks with a 1.03 ERA while throwing six no-hitters and three perfect games.

She also was dominant at the plate with a .764 batting average with 10 home runs, 47 runs scored and 26 runs batted in.

Her on-field success helped Bentworth win its first section title in 13 years as the Bearcats reached the WPIAL title game and the PIAA quarterfinals.

However, last year was a different story thanks to a shoulder injury.

A rotator cuff injury limited Gonglik to only seven starts in the circle for Bentworth, and she finished the season with a 3-2 record as the Bearcats lost in the district semifinals and the state first round.

She has returned to her dominant way this spring.

In 14 starts this season, Gonglik is 13-1 with a 0.99 ERA. In 85 inning pitched, she has allowed 12 earned runs on 26 hits with 12 walks and 183 strikeouts.

At the plate, the junior is batting .490 with 24 hits, 15 extra-base hits, six home runs, 21 runs scored and 20 RBIs.

Gonglik has a .621 on-base percentage, 1.102 slugging percentage and a OPS of 1.723.

This past week was just another three days at the office for Gonglik even though the Bearcats suffered their first loss of the season.

On Monday against Waynesburg Central, Gonglik threw a two-hitter while striking out 13 Raiders.

At the plate, she was 3 for 3 with a triple, home run and two RBI in a five inning victory for Bentworth, 10-0.

The next day against playoff bound Washington; Gonglik threw a no-hitter, allowing only one Little Prexies batter to reach on a walk while fanning 12.

On offense, she was 2 for 3 with a double as the Bearcats blanked the Little Prexies, 3-0.

Then on Thursday, Bentworth lost for the first time this season to Class 4A top-ranked Elizabeth Forward, 7-4.

While Gonglik suffered the loss in the circle, she continued her red hot tear with the stick, going 2 for 2 with a double, a home run and an RBI.

Sydney’s younger sister, Makayla Gonglik, is a freshman on the Bearcats this year, playing the infield and leading Bentworth in batting average, on-base percentage, hits and runs scored.

Despite still having another year of high school, Sydney Gonglik plans to continue her academic and softball career in the fall of 2027 at LSU.

2026 Trib HSSN Softball Players of the Week

Week 4 – Bailey Barnyak, Carmichaels

Week 3 – Sydney Sekely, South Park

Week 2 – Emma Herb, Shenango

Week 1 – Addyson Nigut, Elizabeth Forward