DuBOIS — Karns City's bats have been loud all spring.

Kendal Johnston quieted them down Monday evening in the District 9 Class 3A softball championship game at Heindl Field.

The Punxsutawney senior struck out 11 and scattered six hits as the Chucks (9-10) defeated the top-seeded Gremlins, 5-1, for their sixth consecutive district title.

“She threw a nice rising fastball and our girls couldn't lay off it,” KC coach Mike Stitt said of Johnston. “We've been showing great plate awareness all season, but we didn't do that today.

“She (Johnston) had a lot to do with that. She had a nice changeup to go with that rising pitch.”

Karns City (16-3) scored its lone run in the first inning. Garrah Milochik singled to center with one out, advanced to second on an error by the center fielder and to third on a passed ball.

Milochik scored on a wild pitch.

The Gremlins would get four more runners as far as second base, but no more runs.

“Kendal is tough,” Punxsutawney coach Alan Pifer said. “She knows what she's doing out there. She changes speed well and throws strikes.”

The Chucks didn't mount much offense against KC pitcher Marra Patton — except for one batter.

Ciara Toven drilled a two-out, two-run homer to left in the third inning to give the Chucks a 2-1 lead. She hit a run-scoring double down the left field line in the fifth, giving Punxsutawney a 3-1 lead.

Toven hit her second home run of the game — a towering fly right down the line that easily cleared the fence — in the seventh inning.

She had three hits and four RBI on the day — and she's a freshman.

“Those home runs today give her five for the season and that's a single-year record for us,” Pifer said. “Ciara is an amazing hitter. We've had some great players here, but I've never had a player who hits the ball that hard.”

Toven's batting average improved to .460 on the year.

Karns City threatened in the second when Sarah Patton and Megan Whitmire singled with one out. But Johnston struck out the next two hitters.

Zoe King led off the Gremlins' third with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Johnston fanned the final two hitters of that frame as well.

King doubled down the left field line with two oputs in the fifth. Milochik drilled a line drive right to center fielder Allie Meko to end that threat.

“When we did hit her (Johnston), we lined the ball right at somebody,” Stitt said. “That pitcher got us today. Kudos to her for what she did.

“She shut us down.”

Ashley Fox drew the only walk against Johnson with one out in the sixth. She stole second, but Marra Patton fouled out to first and Sarah Patton hit a line drive to center.

“Hey, we can't complain about 16-3,” Stitt said. “That's a phenomenal record. These girls put together a great season.

“It just didn't go our way today.”

Punxsutawney 002 011 1 — 5 8 1

Karns City 100 000 0 — 1 6 3

W: Kendal Johnston 7IP (11K, 1BB). L: Marra Patton 7IP (0K, 1BB)

Punxsutawney (9-10): Sarah Weaver 1B 2-R, Ciara Toven 2-HR 2B 4-RBI, Madi Shiock 1B, Kaylere Guidice 2-1B, Sydney Hoffman 1B

Karns City (16-3): Zoe King 1B 2B, Garrah Milochik 1B, Sarah Patton 1B, Megan Whitmire 2-1B