CLEVELAND — A .211 batting average last season did not sit well with Natalie DeMatteis.

The Cleveland State women's softball shortstop had hit well her entire life. She batted over .500 at Moniteau High and owns numerous records there.

She batted over .500 at Mercyhurst-North East during her two-year stay there.

DeMatteis was going to hit at Cleveland State. All she needed was time.

The Vikings gave it to her.

"Going from junior college softball to Division I was quite a jump," DeMatteis said. "I needed to adjust."

"Natalie was in a slump all of last year," Cleveland State coach Angie Nicholson said. "She just struggled. She got herself in a hole early and, mentally, she couldn't dig her way out of it.

"We knew the talent was there. She came well recommended."

Nicholson is a friend of Mercyhurst-North East coach Brian Dewey. When it was time for DeMatteis to move on, he recommended Cleveland State to her and vice versa.

"We adjusted her approach at the plate this year," Nicholson said. "She would sit back on her back leg a lot last year. We had her shift her weight more to attack the ball. She got into a zone and hasn't quit."

DeMatteis is batting .367 and has struck out only 10 times in 159 plate appearances. She was named MVP of the Horizon League Tournament, which the Vikings won for the first time in school history last weekend.

DeMatteis hit .529 (9-for-17) with three doubles, two home runs, three runs scored and eight RBI in the tournament.

Before that event she hadn't homered all season.

"For the past three years, Cleveland State made the league finals. This was our year to win it. We had to make it happen," DeMatteis said.

She was a big part in the team doing that.

"Even off the field ... her voice was the loudest in our team huddles. She emerged into a leader," Nicholson said. "She is so focused on seeing this team through

"In terms of improving her stroke and fundamentals at the plate, I've never seen a player work so hard. She's been tireless and it paid off."

DeMatteis had a single in three at-bats Friday in Cleveland State's 3-1 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA's Michigan Regional. She played shortstop and batted fifth.

Shortstop hasn't always been her position with the Vikings.

"We've had Christa Coppas there, a four-year starter who has broken just about every school record here," Nicholson said. "Natalie played some third base, some second base — she couldn't get comfortable defensively.

"Christa was being bothered by a sore shoulder. We moved her to second, Natalie to short and everything clicked for everybody."

Cleveland State is 35-17, setting school records with 35 overall wins and a 17-5 mark in the Horizon League. Other team records set this year include 48 homers, 82 doubles, 270 runs and 241 RBI.

The Vikings entered second-round regional play this weekend having won 22 of their last 25 games.

"I love the talent on this team and it feels good to be swinging the bat well again," DeMatteis said. "I didn't feel like I contributed very much last year.

"This is my last college season and I want it to be memorable."

An occupational therapy major, DeMatteis plans to coach softball once she's through playing. There are a few professional softball leagues available to women as well.

"Natalie and I have talked about that and I do believe she can continue playing if she wants to," Nicholson said. "I've never seen a player lock in at the plate like she has the past few weeks. She's just been on fire.

"She'll succeed in life because she's a solid person as well as a solid player. Her personality is goofy and we have a goofy team. She's fit right in."