Nittany Valley 10s force a ‘Winner take all” title game

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: July 1, 2024

By Kenny Varner

BOALSBURG – They will meet again!

With their backs against the wall, the Nittany Valley 10Us softball team found themselves in a must win situation against State College as the two met Tuesday.

With a win, State College would capture the District 5 title. But with a win by Nittany Valley win, the two would face each other again in a deciding championship contest on Tuesday.

Posting a four-run first, Nittany Valley battled through to capture a 7-4 victory at State College’s Sichler Field.

Picking up the win in the circle for Nittany Valley was Sydney Smith. Smith went the distance allowing five hits, four runs and 12 strikeouts.

Mackenzie Kellogg had the hot bat, picking up two hits, two RBIs and scored a run.

Grayson Bair also finished with a 2-hit, 2-run and an RBI effort.

State College’s offense was led by Capri Lawson who finished with two hits, two runs and an RBI.

Nittany Valley wasted little time putting runs on the scoreboard, posting four in their first at bats.

Bair started things off with a lead off single. She advanced to third on a single by Riley Solt.

Kellog posted her first RBI as she blasted a single, scoring Bair and moving Solt to third.

She then stole second, putting runners on second and third.

Tubbs brought in Solt as she bounced into an RBI fielders choice, upping it to a 2-0 advantage.

Trinity King joined Kellog on the base paths with a walk, setting the stage for Addy Beckenbaugh.

Beckenbaugh did not disappoint as she blasted a 2RBI single back the middle, giving her team an early 4-0 advantage.

Smith sent the State College line up down in order in the bottom of the first.

Nittany Valley continued its opportunistic play into the second d inning, adding more to its scorecard.

King led off with a walk. She stole second and then scored on an RBI single by teammate Brooke Rimmey, upping it to a 5-run lead. Rimmey moved up to third on the play due to a State College miscue.

Bair notched an RBI on a fielders choice, making it a 6-0 advantage.

State College refused to go down without a fight as they battled back to pull within striking distance of Nittany Valley starting with a run in the third.

Lawson got the second started on the right foot for State College as she led off with a single.

She scored on a blast into the gap by Vivian Petrich. Petrich’s shot found her on third with an RBI triple.

State College was back at it again in the third, plating a 3-run inning.

Ava Zook hit a blooping one hopper to right field. She stole second.

Violet Dedonato brought in Zook as she hit an infield hit, putting it to a 6-2 game.

Dedonato scored on a Lawson smash into right field.

Lawson also scored thanks to an infield hit by Petrich, cutting the lead to 6-4 going into the fifth

Kellog’s added an insurance run on an RBI hit in the fifth.

From there, Nittany Valley’s defense held, forcing a third and final match up between the two.