Moniteau's Kennedy DeMatteis delivers a pitch during her 2-hit shutout of Redbank Valley in the District 9 softball playoffs Wednesday. The undefeated Warriors won by a 10-0 count in five innings.

CHERRY TWP — Last year, a loss in the state championship game kept the Moniteau softball team's great season from being a truly spectacular one.

The Warriors took the first postseason step toward retribution on Wednesday, crushing visiting Redbank Valley 10-0 in five innings in a District 9 Class AA semifinal.

Moniteau (20-0) advances to next Wednesday's title game against Cranberry, a 7-6 winner over Johnsonburg.

“The girls hear it everywhere they go,” said Moniteau coach Lennie Claypoole. “People ask them, “Are you going to win states this year?'

“But we know we have to play one game at a time and they have stayed focused the whole season.”

According to Warrior senior first baseman Sara Hull, Redbank Valley's pitcher, Alyssa Burkett, required her team's full attention on Wednesday.

“She's jammed me on inside pitches before and it's been tough for me to get a hit off of her,” said Hull. “She's very good.”

But the Warriors wasted no time getting to the senior pitcher.

A single from Cortney Claypoole, a double by Kristina DeMatteis and two Bulldog errors fueled a three-run first inning.

Mistakes on defense turned Redbank Valley's already-slim chances into an insurmountable climb. The Bulldogs committed six errors in the game.

“We're playing the No. 1-ranked team in the state and just didn't show up defensively,” said Redbank coach John Sayers. “We gave them too many chances and they made us pay.”

The Bulldogs (12-7) showed some offensive life early on.

Kaia Rearick smacked a one-out double in the first inning. Becca Kunselman reached on an infield single in the second, but Moniteau senior pitcher Kennedy DeMatteis shut the door in both instances.

“We wanted to be aggressive at the plate,” said Sayers. “We couldn't just stand there and let her blow pitches by us.”

It may have been the right strategy, but Redbank's willingness to swing early in the count yielded a lot of weak pop-ups and eight strikeouts for DeMatteis, who retired the final 10 batters she faced.

Moniteau's bats landed a couple of jabs in the third and fourth — scoring a single run in both innings. The Warriors then hit Redbank with the knockout punch in the fifth.

Kristina DeMatteis, Megan Hepler and Amanda Dailey all drove in a run with a single.Leading 8-0, Claypoole ended Redbank's season with a single to centerfield that plated Kristin Auvil.“We have so much confidence in all the girls (in the batting order),” said Lennie Claypoole.Redbank Valley 000 00x x — 0 2 6Moniteau 301 15x x — 10 11 0W: Kennedy DeMatteis 5 IP (8K, 0BB). L: Alyssa Burkett 4.1 IP (1K, 2BB).Redbank Valley (12-7): Kaia Rearick 2B, Becca Kunselman 1BMoniteau (20-0): Gabby Stewart 1B, Cortney Claypoole 2-1B R RBI, Kennedy DeMatteis 1B R, Kristina DeMatteis 1B 2B 3R 2RBI, Sara Hull 2-1B R 2RBI, Megan Hepler 2-1B R RBI, Kristin Auvil R, Amanda Dailey 1B RBI, Dolcey Shunk R, Breanne Noah RWednesday: Moniteau vs. Cranberry, District 9 Class AA final, 4 p.m. at Clarion-Limestone H.S.

Sara Hull lines a single for Moniteau during the team's District 9 playoff win.