CHERRY TWP - Moniteau softball coach Danny Hindman threw Cranberry a curveball Tuesday - and that was before the game.

Hindman decided to pitch Martina Burk instead of usual starter Sara Vinca.

He had to be pleased with the results.

In the District 9 Class AA semifinal game, Burk scattered seven hits and Laura Kirschner's two-run triple in the second inning helped send Moniteau to a 6-2 victory and a trip to the championship game Thursday against Brookville at a site and time to be determined.

"That was our game plan," said Hindman about starting Burk. "Martina has been throwing well in practice.

"There were a couple of other reasons, a change of pace, it worked out. If we would have lost, it would have been a bone-headed move.

"She deserved to start. They were looking to face Sara and hit the faster pitcher. They weren't expecting a different pitcher," Hindman added.

"We really prepared for Vinca," said Berries coach Larry Sherman. "She usually throws across the plate."

In the first inning, Moniteau (15-4) got one-out singles from Kelly McMillen and Natalie DeMatteis, but Vinca flied out and McMillen moved to third on the play.

The throw was high and McMillen broke for home. However, Berries third baseman Cassie Sanford fired a strike to home plate to force out McMillen and end the threat.

In the second inning, the Warriors broke through for three runs, highlighted by Kirschner's triple. She scored on an error by Sanford on a grounder by Jenna Beatty.

Cranberry (15-6) had two on and one out and two on and no one out in the second and third innings, respectively, but couldn't plate a run.

A double play killed the first rally while a pair of flyouts and a strikeout stymied the latter.

"We weren't finding the holes today," said Sherman. "We were making contact. We were just popping them up.

"We didn't get the big hit when we needed it," Sherman added.

Laken Burk added an RBI single in the third inning and McMillen a two-run double in the fourth inning to open up a 6-0 lead.

The Warriors had two on and one out, but pitcher Kelly Bickel got Vinca and Laken Burk to ground out.

Cranberry broke through with two runs in the fifth, thanks to a one-out single by Ashley Ahrens, a run-scoring triple by Kasey Carson and a RBI single by Bickel.

Jessica Jack lined to third and Jessica Snyder grounded out to quell the rally.

The Berries did have one more shot and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning.

Consecutive one-out singles by Ahrens and Carson got things started before Bickel popped out.

Martina Burk then hit Jack to load the bases before Snyder grounded out to Burk to end the game.

"All you can ask for is a chance," said Sherman. "We hit a lot of pop-ups, a lot of flies. We had the opportunities.

"It was a good season for us. This was the biggest score we lost by. We have four one-run losses and a two-run loss," he added.

The Warriors will face Brookville and Indiana (Pa.) University recruit Jen Shaffer for the District 9 title. Brookville defeated Redbank Valley last Wednesday 5-1 in the other semifinal.

"We're confident," said Hindman. "We've been swinging the bat well a week and a half.

"(Shaffer's) a top-of-the-line pitcher. If we can hit her, we know we can beat that team."

Cranberry 000 020 0 - 2 7 2

Moniteau 031 200 x - 6 8 0

WP:

Martina Burk (7 IP) 2 strikeouts, 3 walks.

LP:

Kelly Bickel (6 IP) 3 strikeouts, 4 walks

Cranberry (15-6):

Kasey Carson 3B, 1B, RBI; Kelly Bickel 1B, RBI; Kasey Morrow 1B; Cassie Sanford 1B; Ashley Ahrens 2-1B

Moniteau (15-4):

Kelly McMillen 2B, 2 RBI; Natalie DeMatteis 1B; Sara Vinca 1B; Laken Burk 1B, RBI; Megan Campbell 1B; Laura Kirschner 3B, 2 RBI