KNOX - Brookville spoiled Moniteau's party - again.

Jenny Shaffer struck out 12 and scattered five hits in winning a pitchers duel with the Warriors' Sara Vinca as the Raiders scored a 5-2 victory in the District 9 Class AA softball championship game Thursday at Keystone High School.

The triumph marked Brookville's third District 9 softball crown in four years - with Moniteau being its victim on each occasion.

"We hung in there with them today," Warriors coach Dan Hindman said. "We've gotten a little closer to them each year. We just haven't been able to beat them."

Defensive mistakes allowed four of Brookville's five runs to cross the plate.

With the score 1-1 and the Raiders having runners at second and third and two outs in the third inning, Warriors catcher Laken Burk tried picking Shaffer off second.

Burk's throw sailed through to the outfield, allowing Heidi Confer to score from third. When the ball rolled between the center fielder's legs, Shaffer scored as well.

Brookville had a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Vinca hit No. 8 hitter Kyire Wolfe with a pitch. No. 9 hitter Ashley Modeny reached on an infield single.

Both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Vinca struck out leadoff hitter Kasey Snyder, but the third strike was in the dirt. Wolfe scored when Burk had to throw to first to complete the strikeout. A wild pitch then plated Modeny from third.

"We were able to capitalize on their miscues," Brookville coach Greg Fenstermaker said. "That was the difference in this game. It was a pitchers duel otherwise."

Hindman agreed.

"Sara pitched a great game for us," he said. "We've been preaching small ball for three weeks now. When you get this deep into the season, you see a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 type of games.

"If you're going to win playing small ball, though, you can't make the kind of mistakes we did today."

Vinca allowed only four hits all day, with Shaffer collecting three of them. Shaffer also had Brookville's lone RBI of the game, a run-scoring single in the first inning.

"Jenny's been the rock of our program for four years now," Fenstermaker said. "She's averaging around 10 strikeouts per game pitching and she's our leading hitter with a .400 average."

Moniteau used two-out hits to score both of its runs. With two outs in the first inning, Vinca singled to right, stole second and scored on Natalie DeMatteis' single to left.

Laura Kirschner led off the Warriors' third frame with a single to center. Jenna Beatty bunted her to second and with two outs, Vinca singled to center to bring her home.

Vinca hit above .500 for the season, collecting 32 hits in 61 at bats. DeMatteis hit .460 this year.

Moniteau's four seniors - DeMatteis, Beatty, Kelley McMillen and Burk - were part of three District 9 runner-up squads.

"I can't begin to say what those four girls have meant to this program," Hindman said. "We're losing our catcher, second baseman, shortstop. … We've got some big shoes to fill.

"We played a lot of sophomores this year, too, so that will help toward next year."

Fenstermaker lauded the performance of Vinca on the mound.

"I don't know what grade she's in, but we didn't do much against her," he said. "We've been consistent in winning these district titles, but Moniteau's been right there with us.

"They're an outstanding program with some outstanding players."

Brookville 102 200 0 - 5 4 0

Moniteau 101 000 0 - 2 5 2

WP:

Jenny Shaffer (7 IP) 12 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP:

Sara Vinca (7 IP) 8 strikeouts, 3 walks

Brookville (15-6):

Jenny Shaffer 3-1B RBI, Ashley Modeny 1B

Moniteau (15-5):

Sara Vinca 2-1B RBI, Natalie DeMatteis 1B RBI, Laken Burk 1B, Laura Kirschner 1B