Terrorizing twins
CHERRY TWP — Kennedy DeMatteis became a softball pitcher for one reason.
“My mother made me,” she said. “Our team needed a pitcher and she told me to do it.”
Mother knows best.
That's when DeMatteis was 8 years old. Her twin sister, Kristina, has been her catcher ever since.
Now the tandem is in its third season of terrorizing District 9 opponents for Moniteau High School.
“Kennedy has never lost a game to a District 9 opponent,” Moniteau coach Dan Beebe said. “She's proud of that streak and she wants to keep it going.”
Just winning hasn't been enough, though. DeMatteis has tossed 17 shutouts this season, including the Warriors' current streak of seven in a row. She has six no-hitters this season, had a recent streak of 24 consecutive hitless innings, and has allowed two total hits in her last six games.
Kennedy can throw an array of pitches. Kristina knows them all.
That's why she calls the pitches from behind the plate, a rarity for a high school catcher.
“I can throw a fastball, change-up, curve, drop, sinker and riser,” Kennedy said. “I don't feel any more or less comfortable with any of them.”
She can throw any of them at any time in the count.
“Anytime Kennedy goes to a pitching camp or clinic, Kristina is always her catcher,” Beebe said. “She's been catching her regularly since they were little kids.
“She's more qualified to call the pitches than I am when her sister is out there.”
It's a duty Kristina doesn't take lightly.
“I get a feel for each batter,” the catcher said. “I pay attention to the batting stance, try to guess what she might be looking for as a hitter.”
Kennedy is fine with putting the pitches in her sister's hands — and landing them in her catcher's mitt.
“Whatever she calls, I'm OK with. I trust her,” the pitcher said.
Before Wednesday's District 9 playoff win, Kristina sat on a bucket, catching Kennedy's warm-up pitches without wearing any equipment.
Now that's a comfort zone. At least, it looks that way.
“No, no ... I don't feel that comfortable,” Kristina said, laughing, of catching her sister without the catcher's gear. “She's just getting loose.”
They've got plenty to feel loose about. Moniteau is 60-4 over the last three seasons with the DeMatteis twins serving as the battery. The two will be seniors next year.
Kennedy is the three-time Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference Softball MVP. Kristina is a three-time first team all-star.“Her pitching numbers alone warrant the MVP honors,” Beebe said. “Then there's the hitting numbers. Both are off the charts.”Kennedy is carrying a 0.89 earned run average this season. Opposing hitters are batting a paltry .102 against her. She has eight no-hitters over the past two years.She's concerned about none of them.“I don't really keep track of that stuff,” she said.Offensively, Kennedy is hitting .597 (46 for 77) with two homers and 41 RBI. Kristina is hitting .543 (38 for 70) with 20 RBI. They hit third and fourth in Moniteau's batting order.“Our first five batters are first team all-conference players, so they've got plenty of help,” Beebe said. “Teams can't pitch around them.“But as a battery, as a tandem, being twin sisters and all ... We have a unique set-up there. And we're taking full advantage of it.”
