WAUKESHA - Pacelli's quest to win the final WISAA Division 2 softball state title fell short Saturday, as two-time defending champion Kettle Moraine Lutheran dropped the Cardinals 8-0 in the semifinal round Saturday.
Kettle Moraine used four-run and three-run innings to put away Pacelli (15-8).
"It was mostly defensive errors," Pacelli coach Ron Kurszewski said. "Basically we should've been out of those innings before any runs scored.
"They pitched well and hit somewhat decent but the defense hurt us."
Pacelli used a nine-run first inning to rout Greendale Martin Luther 12-2 in the quarterfinal last Friday.
The Cardinals used a mix of bunts, walks, bloopers and bleeders to torch Martin Luther in the opening frame and then pushed a run across in the sixth inning to win by the 10-run rule.
"We got them a little shook up, a little wild," Kurszewski said. "We didn't hit the ball very well but they fell in somehow."
Staci LaBlanc led Pacelli with two hits.
While Pacelli's year ended without a state trophy, Kurszewski said the team had a great season. "To me, they did better than I thought they would do this season," he said.
"I'm looking forward to next year. We're only losing two girls (Lindsey Radomski and Lynsey Johnson), which is a big loss. But with the talent coming up, I think we might be able to replace them. The experience we have will help a lot."