When Loyalsock Township put up three runs in each of the first two innings of their PIAA Class AAA tournament game against Kutztown to lead 6-1, it looked like the Lancers would cruise into the state quarterfinals. But a scrappy Kutztown team had other ideas.

The Cougars overcame a 10-7 deficit in the top of the 7th, and hung on in the bottom-half of the inning to stun Loyalsock, 11-10, at Elm Park on Monday.

“I can’t say good things about this team given how young we are, with just one senior. To go from where we started out, and nobody thinking we’ll do anything, to win a district title and come here and play a State game, and we’re in it all the way to the end,” Loyalsock coach Mark Godfrey said.

Most softball games in the state tournament are pretty low-scoring, but Kutztown and Loyalsock bucked that trend. The two teams combined for an astounding 33 hits to bring in 21 runs. And, the fireworks started early.

Kutztown scored in the top of the 1st on a Jade Fitzgerald one-out single that drove in one. But, with the bases loaded, Loyalsock turned a nifty 1-2-3 double play on a ball back to starting pitcher Easton Waller, who threw to catcher Shyla Fulp, who quickly threw a strike to Madison Wertz to get out of the jam.

The Lancers wasted no time answering in the bottom-half of the inning. After Waller singled to lead off the inning and stole 2nd, Fulp drove her in with a single of her own. Then Sofia Mileto drilled a pitch well out of the strike zone in a 2-2 count over the right field fence to put Loyalsock up 3-1. Loyalsock loaded the bases with two outs, but was unable to do any more damage.

After Waller retired the side in the top of the second, the Lancers got right back to it offensively. Waller singled and Fulp reached on error, and Mileto singled to right field. The hard grounder got past the right field all the way to the fence, and Mileto came around to score on a home run to make it 6-1.

Kutztown was able to get back on the scoreboard in the 3rd inning by putting up four runs , highlighted by a triple by Brianna Bauscher to cut the deficit to 6-5, but the Lancers added on in the bottom-half when Kutztown threw the ball away on a 1st-and-3rd baserunning play with two outs.

The Lancers went to Sophia Miller on the mound in the 4th, and she was able to work out of a jam and give up just one run when it looked like the Cougars were threatening for more.

Loyalsock tacked on crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the 5th. With no one on and two outs, Madilyn Mercato hit a pinch-hit single and was driven in by a Waller hit. Then, Fulp drove Waller in with a hit back up the box, and Mileto just missed a home run, hitting the top of the fence to drive in another.

Kutztown clawed back another run in the sixth on a Fitzgerald RBI double, and the Lancers couldn’t score after a leadoff single by Madison Wertz setting up a dramatic 7th Inning.

Kutztown nine-hitter Miranda Morstatt singled on a line drive to lead off the inning, but Miller was able to get leadoff hitter Sadie Berger to pop up. Jayden Gehris then singled, but Felicia Oldt flew out for the second out.

The Cougars simply didn’t die, though. A Fitzgerald single and a Bauscher double off of the centerfield fence tied the game. Then, Kourtney Dietrich singled through the right side to give Kutztown an 11-10 lead heading to the Bottom of the seventh.

Mercato led off with a walk in the nine-hole, setting the table for a Lancer top of the order that was 9-11 at the plate at that point in the game. But, Bauscher was able to strike out Easton Waller looking on a borderline, at best, pitch on the outside corner, the only time Waller struck out in her debut season. Then, Fulp popped up, bringing up the red-hot bat of Mileto.

Mercato stole second, and they elected to then walk Mileto, putting the game in the hands of Kinzie Phillips. The freshman hit a scorcher down the first base line, but the first baseman had it perfectly played, tagged first, and the Lancer season came to an end.

Kutztown 11, Loyalsock 10

Kutztown 104 101 4 — 11 18 5

Loyalsock 331 030 0 — 10 15 2

Baucher and Oldt. Waller, Miller (4) Waller (7) and Fulp.

Top Kutztown hitters: Oldt 4-5, RBI, 2 runs; Fitzgerald 4-4, 3 RBIs, BB. Top Loyalsock hitters: Mileto 4-4, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Waller 3-5, RBI, 3 runs.