A-C Valley missed its opportunity. Moniteau did not.

Jake Jewart's two-run single to center in the bottom of the fifth inning plated the only tallies of the game Friday night as the Warriors earned a 2-0 baseball victory at Kelly Automotive Park.

“All I was trying to do was move a runner to third base,” Jewart said. “It was that kind of game. We had to score a run.”

A-C Valley's Tommy Ansler and Moniteau's Aaron Marterella repeatedly traded zeros in a classic pitching duel. Neither hurler approached 100 pitches.

J.J. Waid opened the Moniteau fifth with a walk and Hunter Fitzingo reached base on catcher's interference. An infield grounder moved both runners up and Jewart delivered the game-deciding hit.

Zach Muhl doubled to left to begin the Falcons' fifth inning and Lane Chalmers singled him to third with one out. But Marterella recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.

“Aaron was outstanding tonight and he needed to be,” Moniteau coach Ross Martin said. “He pounded the zone all night. Our defense made the plays behind him, too, and that helped his game be as economical as it was.”

Marterella threw only 78 pitches in the contest, 57 for strikes. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

Amsler threw 55 of his 82 pitches for strikes. He struck out six and walked two.

“Tommy was on his game tonight,” A-C Valley coach Mike Woodward said. “His curveball was biting the corner. He pitched a tremendous game.

“It seems strange that a walk and catcher's interference would wind up being the runs that beat us.”

Marterella said Friday's game was fun “and is the way baseball is supposed to be played. Neither team was making mistakes.

“I was able to throw strikes with my fastball and curve tonight. This was an exciting win, a good win for us. Their guy pitched a great game, too. This was pretty intense.”

Both teams managed only three hits all night.

Moniteau nearly broke through against Amsler in the first inning. Jewart opened the frame with a walk, but was cut down trying to steal second. Marterella singled and Derek Boben doubled, but Amsler escaped damage by collecting a strikeout and ground out to end the inning.

“I have to give (Marterella) credit because we never got to him,” Woodward said. “He was getting us to swing at curveballs in the dirt ... I don't know if we were having trouble picking the ball up or what.”

A-C Valley 000 000 0 — 0 3 1

Moniteau 000 020 x — 2 3 0

W: Aaron Marterella 7IP (7K, 0BB). L: Tommy Amsler 6IP (6K, 2BB).

A-C Valley (4-7): Aaron Busch 1B, Zach Muhl 2B, Lane Chalmers 1B

Moniteau (10-2): Jake Jewart 1B 2-RBI, Aaron Marterella 1B, Derek Boben 2B

Tuesday: Redbank Valley at A-C Valley

Thursday: Moniteau vs. Karns City at Kelly Automotive Park