Bulldogs not stranded for long

~ Notre dame failed to score with the bases loaded in the first, but struck in the second.

SPRINGFIELD -- The top of the first inning was a disappointing one for the Notre Dame offense, which failed to score despite loading the bases with just one out against Harrisonville starting pitcher Landon Teal.

Teal retired Mark Hagedorn and Jeremy Essner on groundouts to end the early threat.

But Notre Dame senior Aaron Tomaszewski did not let Teal carry the momentum that he gained while escaping the first-inning jam into the second inning.

Tomaszewski, batting seventh in the order, smashed a 1-1 pitch into center field for a single to lead off the second. He then scored the game's first run when the top of the order came around and leadoff hitter Colton Young ripped an RBI double with two outs.

"We had the bases loaded in the first inning and didn't get anything in, so to come out and to come right back the next inning, it [was important]," Young said. "It's always good to get ahead."

Notre Dame posted a 5-1 win over Harrisonville in the Class 3 semifinal game Friday to advance to today's state title game at Meador Park in Springfield.

Tomaszewski worked a great deal on his hitting at practice this week after struggling in the sectional and quarterfinal games.

The No. 7 hitter entered the final four with a .369 average, no homers and 16 RBIs.

"I wanted it because I didn't do much in sectionals and quarterfinals," Tomaszewski said about his second-inning at-bat, "So I went back, figured out my swing, figured out what was wrong and came out here with a positive attitude. I feel pretty good right now."

Tomaszewski also made a couple nice catches in right field, including two grabs in the bottom of the seventh inning. One of the catches in the final inning required him to cover a lot of ground both to his right and all the way back to the warning track.

"At that time it is just instincts kicking in," he said about the seventh inning. "Knowing you have to catch a ball and not too much thinking."

Tomaszewski will attend the U.S. Military Academy in West Point this fall. His grandfather, father and brother all went to West Point. He is scheduled to start there June 29.

"So it's kind of in my family," Tomaszewski said.