WEST SUNBURY — Sara Hull, Kennedy and Kristina DeMatteis are incoming freshmen at Moniteau High School.

But when it comes to softball, they are far from inexperienced.

The three West Sunbury residents recently returned from Ocean City, Md., where they played on the Silver Creek Starz team that finished third among 32 teams in the 14-under Eastern Nationals.

All three have been members of the fast-pitch travel team for five years.

“I was playing baseball in Marion Township (at age 9) when one of the (Silver Creek) coaches asked me if I’d be interested in playing,” Hull said.

“They wanted Kennedy and Kristina, too. We were all friends and thought it would be fun.”

Now they are hard-core softball players.

Between travel ball and playing for their local Marion Township teams, Melissa DeMatteis estimates her daughters play 80 to 100 games every season.

“They play eight to 10 games in a weekend tournament alone,” she said.

The DeMatteis girls are younger cousins of Natalie DeMatteis, the former Moniteau standout who went on to play softball at Cleveland State.

“I remember taking the girls up to Michigan to watch Natalie play in a tournament there,” Mrs. DeMatteis said. “They’ve always been around softball.

“I’ve been a youth coach for years, so they grew up on the game.”

The Starz practice once or twice a week in Bessemer, near New Castle. The team has played in numerous weekend tournaments this spring and summer, winning the 10-team IUP Showcase in Indiana to qualify for Eastern Nationals.

The field of teams for the Eastern Nationals came from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Delaware, Maryland and Canada. The Starz won seven of their nine games played in Ocean City.

“This team made the Eastern Nationals in Virginia as 12-year-olds, but we lost in the quarterfinals,” Starz coach Hank Pezzuolo said. “This is the farthest we’ve gone.

“Sara is our first baseman, hits eighth in our lineup and is hitting over .300. Pretty much everyone on our team is hitting over .300.”

The DeMatteis twins both pitch and play catcher. Kristina hits third in the lineup while Kennedy bats sixth.

“Kristina is a power hitter and she has six home runs in travel ball this year,.” Pezzuolo said. “Kennedy hits left-handed, is a slap hitter and can also drive the ball.

“All three of these girls will be starting at Moniteau as freshmen. There’s no doubt in my mind. Travel ball has helped develop them.”

Pezzuolo pointed out that eight of the nine Neshannock players on that school’s state championship team played travel ball for Silver Creek.

Hull has always been a first baseman.

“I’ve played there for as long as I can remember,” she said. “We never get tired of playing.”

Kennedy DeMatteis said her and her sister play basketball and volleyball as well.

“But travel softball is fun,” she said. “You get to meet kids from other schools and become friends.”

Silver Creek finished second in the ASA state qualifer in Cranberry Township this season. Columbus, Orville and Canton, Ohio, have been other tournament destinations, along with Beaver Falls.

While in Ocean City, Hull’s mother, Karen, met a kindergarten teacher from Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.

“We talked about the shootings ... Her daughter was in kindergarten at the school when it happened,” Karen Hull said. “She wasn’t hurt, but just hearing those stories put everything in perspective.

“Watching these girls play and compete at such a high level was exciting.”