JOHNSTOWN — If coach Brian Byrne is to leave the Bishop Guilfoyle Academy softball program, he believes he will do so with the team following the right direction.

“It’s the last game coaching my daughter. I’ve been coaching her since she was eight years old. So it’s a little bit of an emotional day for me and her,” Byrne said after Marauders’ 4-0 loss to Bishop McCort Academy in a District 6 Class A playoff game on Friday at Roxbury Park.

Byrne left open the possibility he might return for the 2027 season.

“I told the program they may want to look for someone else, but I wouldn’t let the program down, either, if they need me,” he said.

Bishop Guilfoyle was in its first district softball playoff game since 2012. Byrne, who acknowledged softball has not been a high-priority sport at the school, said he has attempted to start some summer programs the last two years.

“This is the first year that Bishop Guilfoyle has a junior varsity team. Eighteen girls came out for that. I’m very proud about that. I’m definitely going to try to keep that going because I’d love to see the Bishop Guilfoyle program keep going in the right direction,” he said.

Bishop McCort sophomore Lariah Myers struck out 13 batters and did not walk any. The right-hander kept Bishop Guilfoyle off balance throughout the day. Only one Marauders base runner reached second.

“She does really well with the change-up. She keeps them off-balance. That’s one thing she’s good at,” second-year Crushers manager Jimmy Myers said.

Leah Byrne, daughter of the head coach, drew the start for Bishop Guilfoyle several hours before the school’s commencement exercises. The right-hander struck out five, walked two and yielded seven hits. Two of the runs she allowed were unearned.

“We went up against a great team, a great pitcher, a lot of great hitters. To go the distance, I’m very proud of these girls. They played their hearts out there today. That’s all I ever asked of them all year,” Byrne said.

The Crushers (10-11) produced the only run Myers would need in the second inning. Bella Pensiero drew a one-out walk and scored on a single by Reese Jarvis.

Kylie Durst sprang home a run on a squeeze bunt, and Jillian Radkowski drove in another on a misplayed infield grounder in the third. Kalina Bailey’s RBI single in the fifth accounted for the game’s last run.

“They knew they had to win. And they hit the ball pretty well today,” Myers said.

Freshman catcher Brooke Swasing singled twice for the Marauders. Taryn Carruthers also singled off Myers.

Bishop McCort will visit third-seeded Purchase Line in a quarterfinal-round game at 4 p.m. Monday. Purchase Line eliminated the Crushers in a quarterfinal-round game last season, 7-4. Claysburg-Kimmel eliminated Purchase Line in the semifinals, 10-0, en route to winning the district championship.

“We got into a little bit of a hole in the beginning,” Myers said, recalling the May 15, 2025, game. “I’m looking forward to playing them this year. (We hope for) a different ballgame next time.”

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (0): Marasco ss 300, Swasing c 302, Byrne p 300, Rumfola cf 300, Craig 1b 300, Carruthers 3b 301, Ronan rf 300, Ritchey 2b 300, Earnest lf 300. Totals 24-0-3.

BISHOP McCORT (4): Pfeil cf 412, Myers p 401, Bailey cf 301, Durst 2b 201, Radkowski 3b 200, Pensiero rf 110, Chappie pr-rf 110, Jarvis c 301, Stokes pr 000, Stiles 1b 301, Zucco lf 300. Totals 26-4-7.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Bishop Guilfoyle 000 000 0 – 0 3 3

Bishop McCort 012 010 x – 4 7 1

E–Stiles, Marusco, Ritchey, Carruthers. LOB–Bishop Guilfoyle 3, Bishop McCort 8. 2B–Myers. SB–Durst, Pfiel. SH–Durst.

Bishop Guilfoyle pitching

Byrne (L) 6 IP 7 H 4 R 2 ER 2 BB 5 K

Bishop McCort pitching

Myers (W) 7 IP 3 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 13 K

PB–Jarvis, Swasing.

Umpires–Home, Don Moss; First, London Graham; Second, Doug Stratton; Third, Tom Pattison.

Records: Bishop Guilfoyle (5-13), Bishop McCort (10-11).