CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Dezi Stellfox had a feeling she was going to have a good evening in the circle by how poor she was during her pre-game warmups.

The pitcher on the Butler Fastpitch 12U team struggled while preparing for an Alle-Kiski softball league playoff game against Natrona Heights Thursday night.

Just how she liked it.

“I usually pitch well when I have a bad warmup,” Stellfox said.

Boy did she.

Stellfox, 12, tossed a perfect game, striking out 11 of the 12 batters she faced in a 12-0, four-inning victory for Butler over a solid Natrona Heights team.

Stellfox was so dominant, she even surprised herself.

“It was the first time I ever had a perfect game,” she said. “That's not very easy to do. Not a lot of people do it.”

But Stellfox did.

She said the key to her performance was her ability to hit her spots.

She was particularly surprised by how many strikeouts she had.

“I didn't know until my friend Evie (Paserba) told me,” Stellfox said. “I was so surprised.”

Stellfox has been playing softball for five years, but has only been a pitcher for the last two.

She took up the position on a whim.

Coaches asked if anyone wanted to give pitching a try and Stellfox volunteered.

When she's not pitching, she plays second base, shortstop on in the outfield.

She's also a solid hitter.

“She's a young lady that is small in stature, but who has worked her butt off to become a really great softball pitcher and player,” said Butler Fastpitch 12U coach Kris Paserba. “This is a girl that you'll find taking a couple hundred cuts off a batting tee each day, or spending a coupe hours at the field with her parents and siblings just tossing the ball around.”

Stellfox's schedule is hectic. She played for four teams: Butler 12U and 14U, the Pittsburgh Passion and the Butler Storm, an all-star team.

The most difficult part for Stellfox is when the schedules conflict.

“Sometimes I'll have to skip a practice for one team to play in a game for another,” she said.

Then there is remembering what uniform to wear.

“It's not that hard,” she said, giggling. “Whenever I get ready, (the Butler 12U and 14U) uniforms are the same.”

Stellfox only plays softball and she said she's not worried about getting burned out.

“It doesn't really ever get boring,” she said. “I just love playing.”

Paserba has seen that up close.

“She loves to work hard, but most important she is such a kind, considerate and coachable kid,” Paserba said. “(That's) something you don't find much of anymore and (she's) an even better teammate to the girls on the team.”

Stellfox said she appreciates her parents (Matt and Tammy), who shuttle her around from team to team and game to game.

“I know a lot of kids don't have that support,” she said. “My dad has been especially influential. He helps me a lot.”