Nittany Valley 12Us softball team takes Didtrict 5 Championship

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: June 29, 2023

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – The rematch!

After going through the winner’s bracket of the DIstrict 5 12U Softball All-Star bracket, the Nittany Valley softball team had a perfect record as it hosted the championship game Thursday at Panik Field in Bellefonte.

Their opponent was a feisty group from 4-Leaf that took an early loss to Nittany Valley.

The Clovers won their way back through the second bracket to earn a spot in the title tilt.

But the home team would come out victorious as Nittany Valley defeated 4-Leaf 5-1 to capture the championship and punch their ticket to the next round.

Nittany Valley sent Adrienne Masullo to the mound while the Clovers retaliated with hurler Megan Eyerly.

Masullo had her pitches working all afternoon, striking out 13 and allowing just one hit.

Nittany Valley won the coin toss and chose to be the home team.

4-Leaf started its portion of the first getting a runner on base. Sofie McCracken walked with one out.

However, she was stranded as Masullo struck out two and forced a bouncer in the infield to end the inning.

Defensively, the Clovers were just as successful sending down Nittany Valley 1-2-3 in its first at bats.

Finley O’Hare got her team started on the right foot in the top of the second, walking on five pitches.

With one out, O’ Hare stole second, putting her in scoring position.

But Masullo settled back in striking three batters in the inning and leaving O’Hare at third.

Masullo amassed five strike outs after two innings.

First baseman, Abby Herr took a lead off walk for Nittany Valley in the bottom of the second.

Catcher Ella Herr moved Abby Herr up a base as she roped the first hit of the ball game, sending a pitch back up the middle.

With one out, both Herrs moved up a base on a double steal.

Lily Park singled scoring Abby Herr, making it a 1-0 contest.

Masullo continued to add to her strike out list, notching two more in a 1-2-3 third inning.

For the second inning in a row, Nittany Valley got its lead off hitter on base. Payton Norfolk took one for the team as she was hit by a pitch. She stole second.

Nora Brown layed down a tricky sacrifice bunt that was scooped up by O’Hare and gunned her out at first.

But Norfolk moved to third, setting the stage for Grace Ammerman. Ammerman did not disappoint as she singled Norfolk, upping the home teams lead to two.

With two outs, Sloan Moore kept the inning going, walking and stealing base on the first pitch to Harper Bair.

She later scored on a miscue.

Bella Nelson broke up Nittany Valley’s no-hitter as she sent a blast into right center in the fourth, putting her in first with only one out.

Masullo was cool under pressure as she struck out the final two batters in the inning, keeping the shut out intact.

She also helped her own cause with a single to start the bottom of the inning. She was replaced by courtesy runner Harper Bair. BIair moved to second on a single by Abby Herr.

O’Hare saved a run from being scored as she nailed down a line drive on the fly.

Kylee Narehood followed as blasted a 2-out double, scoring Bair and Herr. Narehood had two hits and three RBIs as the game headed into the fifth.

4-Leaf refused to go away without a fight, starting the fifth with a walk to Eyerly. She was replaced on the base path by O’Hare.

O’Hare was able to motor around the base paths and score on an infield miscue.

With Gracie Nelson still on base, she stole third.

But one run would be all the Clovers would be able to muster.