WEXFORD — Burrell's Casey Moses was having trouble finding the plate Monday and Moniteau took advantage — to some degree.

Moses, a Division I recruit headed to Seton Hall University, walked eight batters in the first three innings and the Warriors were able to push across three runs but still trailed, 5-3.

The WPIAL softball champion Bucs added another run in the third and seven more in the bottom of the fifth to seal a 13-3, five-inning victory in the first round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs at North Allegheny High School.

Moses was also called for four illegal pitches — she had five in last week's WPIAL championship against Greensburg Central Catholic — but allowed just two hits over the five innings.

“I think (Moniteau) scored one run in each of the first three innings,” said Burrell coach Mike Spagnolo. “There were a lot of illegal pitches and a lot of walks and that's been going on the last few games.

“The umpires are pretty sharp ... They'll call those pitches,” he added.

So Spagnolo told his pitcher to make a critical adjustment.

“I told her to slow down her velocity and let your defense play behind you,” Spagnolo noted. “Just put it in play.”

Moses did finish with eight strikeouts. She had four strikeouts and zero walks in the last two frames.

“We knew she was a good pitcher,” said Moniteau coach Dan Beebe. “She has a history of illegal pitches. We planned to run up the count and ... get those pitches.

“We were able to get to that point. We just couldn't get that big hit,” Beebe added.

Moniteau took an early 1-0 lead when Chloe Eshenbaugh and Sydney Boben walked with one scoring on a fielder's choice.

But Burrell (18-1) answered with a five-run first to stake Moses to a 5-1 lead.

With runners at second and third and one out, Courtney Reed tied the game with a run-scoring single.

With two outs, Kaitlyn Sweeney singled before Casey Moses had a two-run single, Claire Fisher an RBI double and Jordan Moses an RBI single.

Moniteau (17-2) picked up one run in the second when Emily Hiwiller walked, moved to second on an illegal pitch and scored on Holly Colosimo's single.

It became a 5-3 game one inning later when Moses walked the bases full, then with two outs, struck out Hiwiller on a 3-2 pitch, but the umpire ruled an illegal pitch, which gave Hiwiller first base and allowed the run to score.

Moniteau left the bases loaded when Colosimo struck out to close out the frame.

The Bucs picked up an insurance run in the third when Sweeney had an infield hit, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a fielder's choice.

Burrell erupted in the fifth inning with a seven-spot, highlighted by a two-run error and a two-run double by Sweeney to close out the game.

Despite the loss, the Warriors finished the season with the most wins (17) in program history and won the KSAC and District 9 titles in the same season for the first time (they had done each in different years) and won their first state playoff game (a play-in game last week against Langley).

“We realized a lot of goals,” said Beebe, who spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach with the Warriors. “The girls have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Moniteau 111 00x x — 3 2 4Burrell 501 07x x — 13 13 0W: Casey Moses 5 IP (8K, 8BB).

L: Holly Colosimo 4+IP (1K, 2BB).

Moniteau (17-2): Autumn Neff 1B; Britney Fallen RBI; Emily Hiwiller RBI; Holly Colosimo 1B, RBI

Burrell (18-1): Jaila Manga 1B, 2B; Justine Damico 1B; Courtney Reed 1B, RBI; Kaitlyn Sweeney 2-1B, 2B, 2 RBI; Casey Moses 1B, 3 RBI; Claire Fisher 1B, 2-2B, 2 RBI; Jordan Moses 2-1B, 2 RBI