Bulldogs back in a familiar spot in playoffs

LEADWOOD, Mo. -- Notre Dame reached the Class 2A final four for the third time in four years on Friday with a 9-6 victory over West County.

Notre Dame rolled into the semifinals behind the 11-strikeout performance of sophomore Blake Urhahn (5-3), who allowed just four hits before being lifted after six innings with a 9-3 lead.

Notre Dame (18-5) will face John Burroughs (22-3) at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the semifinals at Taylor Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Burroughs advanced with an emphatic 20-6, six-inning victory over Palmyra.

"Three times in the last four years is great for our program," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "It's an unbelievable experience and we're looking forward to it again."

Notre Dame, which won the last of its three state championships in 1993, finished second in 1999 and third in 2000.

The Bulldogs' trip looked in doubt early when West County (22-3) scored two runs in the top of the first and one in the third for a 3-0 lead. Notre Dame found its solution in the middle innings, scoring nine unanswered runs with one in the third, five in the fourth and three in the fifth for a 9-3 lead.

With his team trailing 3-1 in the fourth, Dustin Klipfel saw his bases-loaded grounder booted to close the gap to 3-2. Shane Kistner then put Notre Dame ahead for good with a two-run double down the left-field line. West County elected to walk No. 3 hitter Tim Wencewicz to reload the bases and the strategy appeared to work as Kyle Diveley struck out. But sophomore Matt Wulfers foiled the plan with a sharp single up the middle to score two runs for a 6-3 lead.

Notre Dame tacked on three runs in the fifth on an RBI triple by Urhahn, an RBI double by Klipfel and a run-scoring single by Kistner.

West County rallied for three runs off reliever Wayne Essner in the seventh inning and brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but junior Jeff Brosey came on to strike out Richard McCoy to end the game.