BULLDOGS PUT BITE ON TIGERS

Two hanging curveballs led to one big inning Tuesday for Notre Dame at home as the Bulldogs scored five runs in the first against Cape Central and held on for a 7-3 win.

The win kept the Bulldogs' record undefeated at 5-0. Central, which lost its second game in a row, fell to 4-4.

Notre Dame seniors Nathan McGuire and Dirk Dirnberger pounded two-strike home runs in the first off Central starter Ross Bennett that provided all the runs needed for victory.

McGuire ripped a solo homer to left on a pitch up in the strike zone and Dirnberger laced a three-run shot to right to make the score 5-0.

The five-run lead was more than enough offense for starting pitcher McGuire. The Bulldog righthander went the distance, striking out nine and walking only one. McGuire (3-0) has completed every one of his three starts this season.

"Nathan did an excellent job of maintaining his composure and just throwing strikes," Notre Dame coach Gregg Muench said. "Our pitching has been fantastic this year and it's something I expected from Chris (Canfield) and Nathan."

Central coach Steve Williams was also impressed with McGuire.

"Nathan is a very good control pitcher and the best thing he did was throw strikes," said Williams. "He got ahead (in the count) and caused our kids to chase bad pitches with two strikes."

Something Bennett wishes he would have done with the two pitches Notre Dame hit out of the park. Williams admitted those pitches weren't where he, nor Bennett, wanted them to be.

"He got a couple balls up," said Williams. "When you're facing good hitters, they are going to make you pay."

McGuire's home run put the Bulldogs up 2-0 after leadoff man Canfield (2-for-2) scored earlier in the inning on a Dan Wittenborn (2-for-3) sacrifice fly. With two outs, Josh Eftink reached on a walk and then Ben Gosche ripped a single past the third baseman. Gosche went 2-for-3.

Dirnberger, a lefthanded batter, stepped in against the lefthanded Bennett and got behind in the count with two strikes on him. One strike away from getting out of the inning, Bennett laid a curveball out over the plate that Dirnberger lofted well over the right-field fence for a 5-0 lead.

"It was great to see Dirk step in there and drive the ball out of here," Muench said of his 6-foot-6 first baseman. "He has that potential every time he comes to the plate being as big as he is and with his nice swing."

To Bennett's credit, the Central junior shook off the rough start and pitched four scoreless innings following the first. Bennett (1-2) was still saddled with the loss, going five innings and allowing six runs on eight hits. He struck out eight and walked five.

"After the first inning he (Bennett) settled down a little bit and worked his way through it," said Williams.

With Bennett regaining his pitching form, Central closed to within two runs of the Bulldogs before Notre Dame pulled away in the sixth.

The Tigers took advantage of McGuire's only bad inning in the third, when the Notre Dame pitcher experienced some control problems.

Adam Bertrand and Chris Pobst both singled and scored in the inning to make it 5-2. Bertrand scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Beasley and Pobst scored on the second wild pitch of the inning by McGuire.

"I couldn't throw my curveball and I was trying to throw the fastball too hard," said McGuire of his control problems.

But McGuire regained his form in the fourth, striking out the side, before Central plated another run in the fifth. Consecutive two-out hits by Pobst (3-for-4), Beasley and Bennett (2-for-3) scored the final Tiger run and made the score 5-3.

Notre Dame scored two run in the sixth after chasing Bennett with an inning-opening walk to Canfield.

Central hosts Sikeston Thursday while Notre Dame entertains Dexter Friday.