PHOTO PROVIDED Loyalsock players celebrate after defeating Mid Valley Monday in Throop.

THROOP — There were no dramatic comebacks this time. As a result, Mid Valley’s reign as state champion came to an end. Sophomore pitcher Sophia Miller kept the Spartanettes off-balance over the final six innings, enabling Loyalsock to overcome an early deficit and rally for a 4-2 victory in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA softball playoffs Monday night at Mid Valley.

Katie Ryder had two hits, including a double, and seven other players added one hit apiece for the Lancers (20-3). After knocking off last year’s state champion, they next get last year’s state runner-up in Thursday’s quarterfinals: Juniata from District 6, which advanced with a 2-0 win over District 3 champ Kutztown in its first-round game.

Abbey Mackey and Chiara Zavislak each had two hits for Mid Valley (21-2).

In the District 2 tournament, the Spartanettes staged late rallies from two-run deficits against Riverside in the semifinals and Holy Redeemer in the final to win.

But they couldn’t do it a third time thanks to Miller.

“She lived on the outer half. We knew that coming in,” Mid Valley coach Michael Piercy said. “We just couldn’t get that big hit when we needed it. We put the ball in play, but credit their defense. They played a great game defensively.”

Things actually started well for Mid Valley. Mackey led off the bottom of the first with a single and one-out walks to Krista Cortazar and Zavislak loaded the bases. Audrey Hasenzahl hit a fielder’s choice that got Mackey out at the plate. But Mackenzie Adolfson delivered a ground-rule double to put the Spartanettes on top, 2-0.

After that, though, they could get anything else against Miller. She allowed five hits, walked three and struck out six.

“She relies on hitting corners and she was just missing and had a couple walks,” Loyalsock coach Mark Godfrey said. “But then she started to hit the corners, mixing her speeds, mixing her pitches and was able to limit them. She made one bad pitch on the double; got too much of the plate. But other than that the rest of the way she was lights out.”

Down two runs, Godfrey told his team that there was plenty of game left to come back.

“We have a little saying: Put up Os and crack eggs,” Godfrey said. “Break an egg, score a run each inning. And put up Os when we’re on defense. One of my assistants reminded them of that right away and they responded against a good pitcher over there.”

Loyalsock got to Mid Valley freshman Ava Hazelton in the third inning. Shyla Fulp led off with a walk and Anna Luxenburger followed with a single. One out later, Sofia Mileto singled to score Fulp and send Luxenburger to third. Mid Valley tried to get Mileto advancing to second on the play, but the throw from the third baseman sailed into the outfield, enabling Luxenburger to score the tying run and putting Mileto on third.

Kathryn Ray delivered a sacrifice fly to right to easily score Mileto and put the Lancers in front, 3-2.

In the top of the fourth, Loyalsock tacked on an insurance run. Ryder doubled with one out and Alena Barone followed with a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 4-2.

“I thought Ava did a great job working out of jams. She stranded a bunch of runners in the middle innings to keep it a 4-2 game,” Piercy said. “I guess I was just waiting for us to bust through like has been our tradition all year in the second half of the game. But we just lacked that big hit today.

“We just didn’t play great offensively. We had to stay back and take the ball the other way and we didn’t execute our offensive gameplan. I think that’s what it really came down to.”

Mid Valley had runners on base in the third, fifth and sixth innings, looking to tie the game. But each time Miller kept the Spartanettes off the scoreboard.

She retired Mid Valley in order on three groundouts in the bottom of the seventh to finish off the victory.

“She was throwing a lot outside and we didn’t adjust well,” Zavislak said. “Usually we do, but we just didn’t adjust well today.

“We really thought we could come back, especially because of the last two games. We just didn’t get the hits at the right time.”