Bulldogs unleash offense

With a conference title at stake, and two tight, high-scoring games already behind them, Monday's meeting between Notre Dame and Kelly appeared to stack up as a classic softball matchup.

Notre Dame's hitters had other ideas, pouring out 10 runs on 10 hits in a five-inning, 10-0 rout at home.

"We came out swinging the bats tonight," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "We got some big hits early on and put some runs on the scoreboard."

The Bulldogs moved to 22-2, including a 3-0 mark against Kelly. Notre Dame defeated Kelly 7-6 in the semifinals of the Incarnate Word Tournament and 9-5 in the semifinals of the Jackson Invitational.

Kelly starter Kalie Hughes walked two of the first three batters she faced, and Notre Dame responded with RBI hits from Miranda Schlosser, Cortney Ostendorf and Lauren Reinagel.

Two more walks in the second, along with two hits, led to another three-run inning for the Bulldogs. Ostendorf had the big hit with a bases-clearing double, one of the few well-hit balls in the early going.

"That's usually how it starts out," Graviett said. "The balls found some holes. Miranda found one in the first, and Cortney got one like that after her."

Hughes did not make it through the second for the Hawks (19-5). Casey Kern got the final out in the inning and pitched the final two frames. Kelly pitchers walked five batters, and all five came around to score.

"We were ready to play," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "Our pitcher wasn't on today, and our hitters weren't on today. We walked way too many runners.

"It's Notre Dame, they put the ball in play and moved their runners. We can't help them by putting on runners like we did."

Ostendorf led Notre Dame's 10-hit attack with a 3-for-3 game, including two doubles and four RBIs.

Schlosser limited Kelly to three hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and one walk.

"We want to take this and build off it -- keep the wheels rolling the rest of the year ," Graviett said.

Kelly is back in action today at Poplar Bluff. Notre Dame is off until Saturday, when it hosts Notre Dame of St. Louis.

Notre Dame 10, Kelly 0, 5 innings

Kelly 000 00 -- 0 3 0

Notre Dame 332 2X -- 10 10 0

WP -- Miranda Schlosser, 10-2. LP -- Kalie Hughes. 2B -- Schlosser (N), Cortney Ostendorf 2 (N), Lauren Bond (N). 3B -- Brittney Schott (N). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame, Ostendorf 3-3. Records -- Notre Dame 22-2, Kelly 19-5.