Iroquois is moving on while Maplewood merely got one to grow on as the Lady Braves beat the Lady Tigers 4-0 in the opening round of the District 10 Class AA softball playoffs on Tuesday at Allegheny College’s Robertson Field.

Iroquois — 17-4 on the season — will now move on to the Double-A semifinal round to face Region 1 champion Wilmington. The Braves are in the hunt for their fifth straight district title and 13th overall.

Meanwhile, Maplewood finishes its 2008 campaign with a record of 10-11.

Tigers head coach Bill Singleton hopes that his team’s brief playoff run will serve as a learning experience, especially the four starting freshmen.

“I told them after the game was over to hold their heads up, they played a good game” said Singleton. Later, he added; “We started four freshman. (Getting playoff experience) should be helpful to them. Some of them were a little nervous. But that happens. I was very pleased with how we played.”

The two teams battled through two-and-a-half scoreless innings before a Maplewood error allowed Iroquois to sneak a run across in the bottom of the third.

Outfielder Julianne Pisano led off the inning with a slow roller to short, beating out Angela Groshner’s throw for a single. She moved to second on a ground ball.

With two outs in the inning, Sarah Johnson hit another one to short. Groshner’s throw to first was low, but catch-able. However, first baseman Brandi Baker couldn’t reel it in. The ball went to the fence, and Pisano went home to score.

The Braves added three more runs in the fifth inning. Right fielder Avery Hunt hit a single to right with one out. Then Pisano took advantage of the Tigers’ second error of the day, reaching on an infield miscue.

Braves pitcher Lindsey Phillips brought Hunt home with a sac fly to right. No. 9 batter Jordan Coon scored Pisano with a bloop single to center. And Coon eventually scored on Tigers’ error No. 3 — a dropped fly ball in center.

“We hit some shots into the outfield,” said Iroquois coach Julie Parker. “But their outfielders were playing pretty deep. They were able to make the catches. But we hit a couple bleeders that got through. Those bleeders are what got us going.”

Lindsey Phillips, a junior for Iroquois had an outstanding outing in the circle for the Braves. In seven innings she allowed no runs on five hits, walked one and struck out a dozen.

“She pitched solid,” said Parker. “She moved the ball around the zone. She looked in command the whole game.”

Singleton agreed, saying; “The girl was good. She is a good pitcher.

Despite being saddled with the loss, Maplewood slinger Becca Beightol had an outing to be proud of. None of the four runs were earned. And other than that she gave up six hits in six innings, walked none and fanned five.