Laney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates with his team after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney’s #5 Jackson Noon dives safely back into 1st base as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover's #17 Colton Creech slides safely into home as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover players come together at the pitchers mound as they played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover's #5 Nick Marren throws the ball to New Hanover's 1st baseman #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates with his team after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's #1 Dylan Cooper reacts to getting on 1st as they played New Hanover April 28, 2026.New Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh throw the ball to New Hanover's #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney looks on as they played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh comes up with a grounder at throws the ball to 1st for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.]Laney’s #5 Jackson Noon throws a grounder to 1st base for an out as Laney took on New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli comes back to the dugout April 28, 2026 after pitching against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney’s #5 Jackson Noon throws the baseball to first for a double play after getting New Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland out at 2nd base.New Hanover's #17 Colton Creech celebrates a double on 2nd base ast New Hanover played Laney April 28, 2026 in baseball.New Hanover players look out of the dugout as they played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover's #5 Nick Marren throws the ball to New Hanover's 1st baseman #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's #1 Dylan Cooper throws the ball to 1st Baseman #34 Evan Skobel for an out ast Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney’s #5 Jackson Noon scores as Laney took on New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's #6 Wiley Reddick dives safely back into first as New Hanover's #16 Camden Croom catches the ball as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.New Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.1 / 28Laney baseball rekindles its fight in upset of New HanoverLaney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates with his team after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.1 / 28Laney baseball rekindles its fight in upset of New HanoverLaney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates with his team after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.2 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney’s #5 Jackson Noon dives safely back into 1st base as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.3 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.4 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's #17 Colton Creech slides safely into home as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.5 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover players come together at the pitchers mound as they played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.6 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.7 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's #5 Nick Marren throws the ball to New Hanover's 1st baseman #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.8 / 28Laney baseball rekindles its fight in upset of New HanoverLaney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates with his team after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.9 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's #1 Dylan Cooper reacts to getting on 1st as they played New Hanover April 28, 2026.10 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh throw the ball to New Hanover's #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.11 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney looks on as they played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.12 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.13 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney’s #8 Owen Gore celebrates after hitting a homerun as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.14 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's pitcher #11 Patrick McIntosh comes up with a grounder at throws the ball to 1st for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.15 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New Hanover]Laney’s #5 Jackson Noon throws a grounder to 1st base for an out as Laney took on New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.16 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli comes back to the dugout April 28, 2026 after pitching against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.17 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney’s #5 Jackson Noon throws the baseball to first for a double play after getting New Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland out at 2nd base.18 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's #17 Colton Creech celebrates a double on 2nd base ast New Hanover played Laney April 28, 2026 in baseball.19 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover players look out of the dugout as they played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.20 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover's #5 Nick Marren throws the ball to New Hanover's 1st baseman #16 Camden Croom for an out as New Hanover played Laney in baseball April 28, 2026.21 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's #1 Dylan Cooper throws the ball to 1st Baseman #34 Evan Skobel for an out ast Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.22 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney’s #5 Jackson Noon scores as Laney took on New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.23 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.24 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.25 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's #6 Wiley Reddick dives safely back into first as New Hanover's #16 Camden Croom catches the ball as Laney played New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.26 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.27 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverNew Hanover’s #3 Hudson Southerland throws the ball to 1st base for an out as they took on Laney High School in baseball April 28, 2026.28 / 28See Laney baseball's conference duel with New HanoverLaney's pitcher #7 Dom Civelli in action April 28, 2026 against New Hanover in baseball April 28, 2026.Laney baseball knew the bleeding had to stop.
After a two-week stretch that brought four straight losses, a broken facial bone to its top player and a growing list of injuries, the Bucs needed something to steady themselves. Something to remind them who they were.
"Just come out and play loose, play free," Laney coach Justin Bradley said of his message to his squad entering Tuesday.
With confidence and urgency, the Bucs knocked off Carolina Coast Conference leader New Hanover 5-2 at home on Tuesday, April 28. Laney (14-7, 6-5 CCC) had already beaten the Wildcats once on March 27 and remains the only area team to hand New Hanover a loss this season.
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"We were just trying to find our identity after these four losses in a row," senior Owen Gore said after the win. "We know we have a talented team."
That talent showed early. Gore launched a two-run home run to give Laney a lead it never surrendered. Fellow senior Dom Civelli handled the rest, earning the win with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits and one run across a composed outing.
"We can go out and beat anyone; we just have to go compete and have fun," Civelli said. "We're going to play our hardest no matter what. We're just gonna compete no matter what."
Entering 2026 on the heels of last spring’s run to a state title series, Laney looked like the clear favorite to repeat as conference champion. With 12 seniors leading the way, the Bucs opened 5-0 before dropping tough conference matchups to Topsail and West Brunswick. Even then, they remained firmly in the hunt for the top spot.
Then came the slide. Three straight conference losses, paired with a nonconference defeat, shifted the tone of the season. The stretch tested the group, but it also forced a reset. Laney understood the direction of its season would be defined by its response.
"We still got some fight in us," Bradley said. "We still have something left in us."
Tuesday did not change the standings. New Hanover (17-6, 9-2 CCC) had already secured the Carolina Coast Conference title. But for Laney, the result carried weight beyond the standings. It served as proof of what still exists within the group.
"We knew we couldn't get the conference, so it was just a statement game to beat them twice," Gore said. "We love beating Hanover, so it's always good to beat them twice in a year."
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Laney baseball ends losing spell with upset of New Hanover