Can't mess with Moniteau
SLIPPERY ROCK — You just can't mess with Moniteau.
The Warriors posted their 10th straight shutout Thursday afternoon at Slippery Rock University, knocking out WPIAL champion Ellwood City, 11-0, in six innings in the PIAA Class AA softball quarterfinals.
“It's hard to believe a little school from District 9 could do this to the WPIAL champion,” Moniteau coach Dan Beebe said. “Not many people gave us much of a chance to win this game.
“Nobody thought we would win like this.”
Consider that:
Ellwood City entered the game with a 21-0 record, averaging 11 runs per game and hitting .408 as a team. The Wolverines' lone hit was a bunt single by Eisabela Miller in the first inning.
Ellwood City junior pitcher Skyla Greco entered the game with a 0.95 earned run average and three no-hitters this season. The Warriors (23-1) touched her up for 16 hits and all 11 runs were earned.
“I can't explain this, not at all,” Ellwood City coach Gary Rozanski said. “Our pitch selection at the plate was poor and we didn't take good swings, but I can't take anything away from their girl ... She was good.”
Kennedy DeMatteis struck out nine while hurling the one-hitter for the Warriors. She walked two and faced just two batters over the minimum. Miller was thrown out trying to steal, ending the first inning.
“I was trying to pitch them inside because we heard they liked to hit outside pitches,” DeMatteis said. “Besides that, I was just pitching my game.”
An all-state caliber game, if you ask Beebe.
“Shutting down an offense like that, this was probably Kennedy's best-pitched game of her career,” Beebe said. “Hopefully, this will get her some all-state attention. She deserves it.”
DeMatteis didn't do too badly at the plate, either. Her three-run homer to center capped a six-run fourth inning that broke the game open. She added two singles as well.
Her twin sister, catcher Kristina DeMatteis, drilled a two-run homer to left to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. It was her first homer of the season.
“It was nice being able to take the mound with a lead,” Kennedy admitted. “I could pitch more aggressively that way.”
A two-out RBI single by Sara Hull gave Moniteau a 3-0 lead in the third before the floodgates opened in the fourth. Alyssa Dailey walked and Courtney Sowinski reached on an infield single to open the frame.
Alazia Greaves attempted a sacrifice bunt and was safe at first as the first baseman dropped the ball. Dailey scored on the play and Gabby Stewart followed with a two-run single to center. Then Kennedy DeMatteis homered.
“We've come from two or three runs behind before to win,” Rozanski said. “That big inning sealed the deal.
“I give their hitters credit. They were squaring up their bats. They hit some shots.”
Sowinski — who joined Dailey at graduation Thursday night — had three singles for Moniteau. Stewart had two singles and two RBI, Kristina DeMatteis a homer and double, Courtney Claypoole a pair of doubles, Megan Hepler two singles.“One thing before the other,” Sowinski said of graduation. “All I was focused on was this game. Now I'm thinking about graduation.”Dailey had the same mind-set.“I'm excited about graduation and I took that excitement into this game,” Dailey said. “I am happy we get to play at least one more game now after graduation.”The Warriors face South Park, a 16-12 winner over Philipsburg-Osceola, in the state semifinals Monday. That game will mark the first state semifinal appearance by any Moniteau High School athletic team since the girls basketball squad got there in 1984.“We know the significance of all this,” Dailey said. “They make an announcement in school every time we win, that this is the first Moniteau team to do this or that.“We just want to keep it going.”Beebe likes their chances. Since its only loss of the season — a 5-4 setback to Philipsburg-Osceola — Moniteau has outscored its last 10 opponents 107-0.The Warriors are also hitting .482 as a team.“I don't know how this will play out, but the way we're going right now ... It will take a pretty special team to beat us,” Beebe said.Moniteau 201 602 x — 11 16 0Ellwood City 000 000 x — 0 1 1W: Kennedy DeMatteis 6IP (9K, 2BB). L: Skyla Greco IP (6K, 3BB).Moniteau (23-1): Gabby Stewart 2-1B 2-RBI 2-R, Cortney Claypoole 2-2B 2-R, Kennedy DeMatteis HR 2-1B 4-RBI 2-R, Kristina DeMatteis HR 2B 2-RBI 2-R, Sara Hull 1B RBI, Megan Hepler 2-1B RBI, Alyssa Dailey 1B, Cortney Sowinski 3-1BEllwood City (21-1): Eisabela Miller 1BMonday: PIAA Class AA semifials-Moniteau vs. South Park, site and time TBA
