Reinagel tosses no-hitter to lead Notre Dame

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.com Notre Dame baserunner Alexis Ralls gets tagged out by Kennett catcher Elizabeth Hively during the third inning Saturday. [Click to enlarge]

Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said whenever junior Lauren Reinagel pitches, the entire Bulldogs defense is thinking about a no-hitter.

"Those kids take it as a team no-hitter," Graviett said. "They go out there and want to make the plays and they stay on their toes."

With Reinagel tossing a no-hitter against Kennett in the sixth inning of Saturday's Class 3 District 2 title game, the defense certainly was on its toes once again.

Kennett hitter Jordan Wagster was able to connect on a Reinagel offering, and it first appeared like the ball would drop in right field for a bloop single with two outs. But outfielder Nikki Chambers made a running catch near the foul line to save the no-hitter. When Chambers returned to the dugout, she received a big thank you from Reinagel.

With the gem, Reinagel twirled her third consecutive no-hitter and eighth this season as top-seeded Notre Dame cruised to a 10-0 six-inning victory over the No. 3 Indians to win its fifth consecutive district title.

"I had to run pretty far for it," Chambers said. "I was kind of leaning forward and I kind of scooped at it, hoping.

"She [Reinagel] gave me a high five and said thank you."

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.com Notre Dame's Jane Morrill, center, does a handshake with assistant coach Ronnie Schlosser after the Bulldogs defeated Kennett 10-0 in six innings Saturday to win the Class 3 District 2 championship. [Click to enlarge]

Reinagel said she hardly could believe Chambers, who mostly has played left field, made the play because it appeared to be a sure basehit.

"I said, 'Oh, my God, I love you, Nikki -- thank you,'" Reinagel said. "She ran a long time. I really thought it was going to drop."

Notre Dame improved to 25-0 and advanced to play North County (22-2) in the Class 3 sectionals.

Reinagel, who had 11 strikeouts and one walk, moved her record to 24-0. Her overall record as a varsity pitcher is 52-1 in two seasons.

Notre Dame's Lauren Reinagel threw a no-hitter Saturday. [Click to enlarge]

Reinagel has pitched two perfect games in addition to her no-hitters this season, and has allowed just two earned runs.

Graviett said Reinagel was effective against Kennett because she stayed ahead of hitters early in counts and had strong movement on the riseball.

Graviett, who earlier in the season said Reinagel thinks about tossing a no-hitter every time she throws -- said his star pitcher has more on her mind late in the season.

"I think she has a bigger goal now," Graviett said. "I think she would trade no-hitters for a state championship. But we challenged her throughout the year to throw that perfect. We remind her all the time it's a one-run ballgame even when it's not, just keeping her motivated and keeping her focused so she's ready for those pressure situations."

Lauren Reinagel is following in the footsteps of her sister Lindsay, a 2004 graduate of Notre Dame, who turned in an impressive career herself. Lindsay was a two-time all-state pitcher, and when she graduated from high school, she held the school record for wins (46), ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts.

"She [Lauren] broke them all," said Lindsay, who watched Saturday's game and attends many of the Notre Dame games. "She has a good team just like I did, but she's worked a lot harder for a lot longer [than me], I think."

The Notre Dame offense struck in the second inning. Alecia Glaus and Britney Schott each singled, and Reinagel doubled as the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead.

The Bulldogs added five runs in the third on three hits and three Kennett errors to build a 7-0 lead.

Notre Dame ended it in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on three hits and one Kennett error.

"Offensively, the game plan was just to put it in play," said Schott, who knocked in the 10th run with a deep drive. "I think as long as we limited our strikeouts and laid off the riseball, the offense would come, and it did. ... It means a lot -- winning districts. For me, it's the fourth year in a row. It's amazing."

WP -- Lauren Reinagel 24-0. LP -- Laurel Scales-Jones. 2B -- Jane Morrill (ND), Alecia Glaus (ND), Reinagel (ND), Schott (ND). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame: Erika Reinagel 2-4, Morrill 2-4, Alexis Ralls 2-4, Glaus 2-3, Schott 2-4. Records -- Notre Dame 25-0.