“It was just one bad inning. Honestly, I liked the way we came back and fought,” said Nittany Valley coach Ryan Tubbs. “I think it actually gives us momentum moving forward. The girls didn’t put their heads down. They came out and hammered away in that sixth inning, and we turned it into a ball game. So I like our chances moving forward, at least in the next game, and we are taking things just one game at a time.”

After their regularly scheduled contest was washed away Monday, Mother Nature was not a factor in the runback as the two enjoyed perfect playing conditions on Tuesday.

Playing as the away squad, Nittany Valley got on the board first in their first at bats.

Leadoff hitter Grayson Bair started things off with a blooping single to right field. Teammate Sydney Smith followed with a single into left.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley's Sydney Smith (22) pitches during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

Makenzie Kellogg brought in Bair as she smacked a single of her own into right. And with one out, Avelyn Henry smoked a pitch, scoring Smith and Kellogg and giving her team a 3-0 advantage going into the bottom of the inning.

State College rallied back to cut into the Nittany Valley lead.

Violet DeDonato got State College started, as she smashed a shot into the left centerfield gap. She landed on second with a double.

Capri Lawson got State College on the scoreboard as she hit an opposite field shot into right, scoring DeDonato.

Lawson later scored on a two-out RBI single by Caroline Fry to end the inning trailing 3-2.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley's Riley Soh, left, and Grayson Bair (14) dive for an out during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

Both teams went down silently in the second inning.

State College took the lead in the third as the top of the line up once again provided the pop. Ava Zook opened the inning with a liner into left field. Lawson reached on an infield single. Both later scored to take the lead at 4-3.

They would add another run in the fourth before taking full control in the fifth. State College was able to add a sixth-run fifth to take an 11-3 advantage into the final stanza.

The Nittany Valley crew refused to go down without a fight and fight they did, posting four runs in their last at-bats to cut the score to 11-7. The effort fell short, but Nittany Valley will be back in action Wednesday against Mifflin County.

Mifflin County moved into the next round with a 23-3 victory over Clearfield. The two teams met in the first round with Nittany Valley winning 12-2.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley's Riley Soh (7) prepares to bat during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

State College 11, Nittany Valley 7

Nittany Valley 300 004 – 7 10 5

State College 202 16X – 11 16 0

Sydney Smith, Riley Soh (4) and Mackenzie Kellogg. L – Smith.

Top Nittany Valley hitters: Grayson Bair 3-3, 2 runs; Sydney Smith 2-2, 2 runs; Mackenzie Kellogg 1-3, 2 RBIs, run; Morgan Campbell-Tubbs 1-3, 2 RBIs; Avelyn Henry 1-2, RBI; Riley Soh 1-3, 2B, run.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley players meet at the mound during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley's Sydney Smith (22) is hit by a pitch during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express A Nittany Valley runner scores a run during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley softball players attempt to secure an out during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley's Sydney Smith (22) rounds first base during a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Nittany Valley and State College softball players high five following a Little League major softball matchup against State College on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Panik Field in Bellefonte. Nittany Valley fell 11-7.