WEST SUNBURY – The Curwensville Area High School softball team was right where they wanted to be on Thursday afternoon – alive in the District IX Class AA Championships and with the opportunity to knock off undefeated Moniteau. Â However, the favorable outcome for the Lady Tide was not to be as the Lady Warriors stayed unbeaten and Curwensville’s season came to an end.
Last year, third seeded Curwensville handled number two Moniteau 12-0, but big changes in both programs turned things around. Â Thursday afternoon, the top seeded Warriors excused the defending champion, and fifth seeded Lady Tide 4-0 to move to the title game.
With six freshmen in this year’s line-up, the Warriors look to be the team to beat for several years to come. Â Freshman pitcher Kennedy DeMatteis held the visitors to just four hits in the shutout while striking out 15 and walking two.
“I don’t want to take anything away from Moniteau or their pitcher, but we’ve seen better during the regular season,” mentioned Tide coach Allen Leigey. Â “We didn’t hit the ball like we have been, and if we could have put more pressure on them, I think things could have been different.”
The hosts manufactured a run in the bottom of the first after one out. Â Two singles by Gabby Stewart and DeMatteis put runners on first and second, and a wild pitch moved both runners up. Â A ground out to short allowed the first run to score.
The score moved to 2-0 in the third in a similar fashion. Â After the first out, Alyssa Dailey dropped a pop fly into shallow center and legged out a double. Â She then moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a grounder to first.
The Lady Tide rallied briefly in the fifth when Bethany Carns broke up DeMatteis’ no-hitter with a one out double. Â Melanie Milliron beat out an infield single that left runners at first and second. Â However, when the visitors tried to take advantage of a passed ball freshman catcher Kristina DeMatteis threw the runner out to squelch the comeback.
“We were looking to make something happen, and didn’t get it done,” Leigey said. Â “Our goal was to get back to the district finals, and I thought we could. Â We did make them work for their ticket to the finals.”
Moniteau scored twice in the fifth on four hits while taking advantage of two Golden Tide errors to push the margin to 4-0.
In the circle for Curwensville, Tierra Shope finished her career by scattering eight hits while striking out four batters and walking two.  Four other seniors finished their careers in the game.  Carns, Kealy Wassil and Milliron all hit safely in their last game while Abby Dugo played a stellar short with  four defensive put outs.
“My seniors did a great job for me this year,” Leigey complimented. Â “Coming into the season, only two (Shope and Dugo) had any real game experience. Â Many times that causes problems, but these girls worked to crack the line-up and contributed well to their positions.”
Curwensville finished the season with a 10-11 record. Â Moniteau rolls into the district title game at 19-0 and will play the winner of the Cranberry at Karns City game. Â The title game will be played next Wednesday at a site to be named later.
CURWENSVILLE — 0
Abby Dugo ss 2000, Tierra Shope p 3000, Alaina Stiles c 3000, Nikki Harker 1b 3000, Megan McCartney lf 3000, Kealy Wassil DP 3010, Riley Young 2b 2010, Bethany Carns 3b 3010, Kaylee Harnett pr 0000, Teghan Jacobson pr 000, Melanie Milliron rf 3010, Hannah Dixon Flex/cf/pr 0000, TOTALS – 25 AB 0 R 4 H 0 RBI.
MONITEAU — 4
Alyssa Dailey 2b 2110, Gabby Stewart rf 3111, Kennedy DeMatteis p 3020, Kristina DeMatteis c 3111, Cortney Claypoole ss 3100, Sara Hull 3b 3000, Taylor Hasychak 1b 3010, Kayla Campbell DP 3020, Alazia Greaves cf 2000, Courtney Sowinski Flex/lf 2000, TOTALS – 25 AB 4 R 8 H 2 RBI. Â
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Curwensville  000 000 0 – 0 4 2
Moniteau  101 002 x – 4 8 1
ERRORS – Carns, Stiles; Claypoole.  LOB – Curwensville 6; Moniteau 4.  2B – Carns; Daily. SB – Greaves. WP – Shope.  PB – Stiles.
PITCHING
Curwensville –Â Shope 7 IP 8 H 4 R 3 ER 1 BBÂ 4 KÂ 0 HB
Moniteau –Â Â Ke. DeMatteis 6 IPÂ 4 H 0 R 0 ER 2 BB 15 K 0 HB
WP – Ke. DeMatteis. Â LP – Shope (7-10)
Lady Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/24 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/26 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/31 | BROOKVILLE | 9 – 8 | 1 – 0 |
| 4/02 | @ Sheffield (DH) | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/04 | HARMONY | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/07 | KANE | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/09 | @ Elk County Catholic | 6 – 7 (8 inn) | 1 – 1 |
| 4/11 | @ West Branch | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/14 | BROCKWAY | susp. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/15 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/16 | @ West Branch | 2 – 7 | 1 – 2 |
| 4/17 | @ Harmony | 11 – 1 | 2 – 2 |
| 4/21 | @ Mo Valley | 5 – 6 | 2 – 3 |
| 4/23 | JOHNSONBURG | 8 – 7 | 3 – 3 |
| 4/24 | @ Sheffield (DH) | 13 – 1 | 4 – 3 |
| 4/24 | @ Sheffield | 10 – 1 | 5 – 3 |
| 4/28 | @ DuBois Central | 1 – 9 | 5 – 4 |
| 4/29 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 4/30 | CLARION-LIMESTONE | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 5/01 | GLENDALE | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 5/03 | REDBANK VALLEY | cancelled | 5 – 4 |
| 5/03 | GLENDALE | 4 – 1 | 6 – 4 |
| 5/05 | @ Kane | 10 – 0 | 7 – 4 |
| 5/05 | @ Kane | 11 – 1 | 8 – 4 |
| 5/06 | @ Johnsonburg | 3 – 4 | 8 – 5 |
| 5/07 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | 5 – 10 | 8 – 6 |
| 5/08 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | 3 – 9 | 8 – 7 |
| 5/12 | @ Brockway | 2 – 8 | 8 – 8 |
| 5/13 | @ Brockway | 3 – 7 | 8 – 9 |
| 5/14 | @ Clarion-Limestone (DH) | 3 – 5 | 8 – 10 |
| 5/14 | @ Clarion-Limestone | 13 – 1 | 9 – 10 |
| District 9 AA Playoffs | |||
| 5/19 | @ Redbank Valley | 13 – 3 | 10 – 10 |
| 5/21 | @ Moniteau | 0 – 4 | 10 – 11 |
