CHICORA — A tale of three freshmen.

Taylor Downs, LeeAnn Gibson and Ashley Coon are frosh Karns City softball players who played vital roles in the Gremlins’ bizarre 13-12 victory over Moniteau Thursday at the Chicora Elementary field.

Downs got the win on the mound despite being lifted in the third inning, having allowed five runs and five walks while throwing 71 pitches up until that point.

Gibson relieved Downs on the mound with the bases loaded in the third inning, escaped further trouble and was unscored upon until the seventh.

Coon circled the bases three times on her own at-bats during the final three innings, including a leadoff inside-the-park home run to end the game in the eighth.

“We don’t have a senior on the entire team,” KC coach Jim Gibson said. “Those freshmen are young, but they’re growing.

“They grew up a lot today.”

Moniteau scored four runs in the top of the first — Downs committing two throwing errors and the Warriors collecting three singles — and extended the lead to 5-0 in the third when No. 9 hitter Cassidy Maples drew a bases-loaded walk.

With leadoff hitter Alyssa Daily coming to the plate, Gibson decided to replace Downs with LeeAnn Gibson.

“Taylor was frazzled and out of sorts,” he said. “I felt like we had to make a move.”

And the Warriors felt like they needed one more hit to blow the game open. But Daily grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

“Yeah, we were probably a hit away right there,” Moniteau coach Dan Beebe said. “Still, we had five innings left to get something done.”

While Gibson was shutting down the Warriors, Karns City scored single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Gremlins erupted for eight runs on seven hits in the sixth to take a 10-5 lead.

The big blow in the inning was a two-out, three-run single by Taylor Ritzert, snapping a 5-5 tie. Coon followed with a two run inside-the-park homer to left.

Coon began the frame with a triple to right. She rounded third and was halfway toward home when Moniteau threw to third in an attempt to catch her off the bag. Instead, Coon raced home and scored.

“That girl can flat out hit the ball,” Gibson said.

Moniteau was looking for a school-record tying 17th victory and wasn’t done yet. The Warriors scored seven times in the top of the seventh.

A leadoff single by Emily Hiwiller, two walks. a run-scoring single by Taylor Hasychak, two more walks, an infield error and RBI single by Chloe Eshenbaugh gave Moniteau a 12-10 lead and chased Gibson.

And re-inserted Downs on the hill.

“After a few innings in center field, Taylor had time to relax and gather herself ... It was definitely worth a shot,” Gibson said.

Downs retired the two batters she faced. Her one-out triple in the bottom of the inning ignited a two-run KC rally that knotted the game and forced extra innings. No. 9 hitter Sadie Moore had a two-out RBI double to pull the Gremlins even.

“This game was back and forth. Both teams played hard,” Beebe said.

The Warriors loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but after a strikeout, Daily lined out to first baseman Jensen Baughman, who tagged the runner leading off first.

“There’s not much you can do there,” Beebe said. “Just a bad break.”

Coon led off the KC eighth with a drive into the right-center field gap. She circled the bases for the game-winning tally.

Moniteau lost the game despite receiving 13 walks. Hasychak went the distance for the Warriors, throwing 127 pitches.

“We’re a little shorthanded right now and she’s the only pitcher we have,” Beebe said. “That was a gutsy effort.

“This game doesn’t affect us at all in terms of playoff seeding, but you always play to win. We’re selective and patient at the plate and that showed today.”

Moniteau will be seeded No. 2 behind Redbank Valley in the District 9 playoffs, which begin next week. Karns City will join the Warriors in postseason play.

“This win is a shot in the arm for us. The girls never quit,” Gibson said.

Moniteau 401 000 70 — 12 9 2

Karns City 001 108 21 —13 17 4

No outs when winning run scored

W: Taylor Downs 4.1IP (3K, 7BB). L: Taylor Hasychak 7IP (4K, 3BB).

Moniteau (16-4): Alyssa Daily 2-R, Heather McMillen 2-R, Chloe Eshenbaugh 1B RBI, Emily Hiwiller 2-1B 2-R, Sydny Boben 1B RBI, Nicole Buterbaugh 1B, Taylor Hasychak 3-1B RBI, Kayla Campbell 1B, Cassidy Maples RBI

Karns City (11-5): LeeAnn Gibson 2-1B RBI, Taylor Ritzert 2B 1B 3-RBI 2-R, Ashley Coon 3B 2-HR 3-R 3-RBI, Morgan Deal 1B 2B, Claire Stoughton 1B RBI, Taylor Downs 3B 1B 2-R, Jorden Downs RBI, Jensen Baughman 3B 1B RBI 3-R, Sadie Moore 2-2B 1B 2-RBI

Tuesday: Cranberry at Karns City, 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Curwensville at Moniteau, 4:30 p.m.