BULLDOGS UP MARK TO 10-0, BUT...

SCOTT CITY -- Monday wasn't all bad for Notre Dame High's baseball team.

Despite being handed their first loss of the season by Kelly in the conclusion of a game suspended last month (see related story), the Bulldogs began the afternoon with a 14-4 thrashing of host Scott City.

The Bulldogs (10-1) banged out 12 hits, received seven walks and took advantage of four errors by the Rams (2-7) that led to Notre Dame's first four runs being unearned.

"We feel good about the game," said Notre Dame coach Chris Neff. "We had a lot of good performances."

Scott City coach Mike Umfleet said poor defense has hurt his team all season and Monday was no exception.

"We've been hitting the ball and getting decent pitching, but our defense has hurt us," Umfleet said. "Errors hurt us early today. They scored a lot late, but we helped them early."

Tommy Wencewicz, who entered the game with a .556 batting average, led the Bulldogs with three hits.

Wesley Steele, John O'Rourke and Todd Friend all had two hits. Friend also drove in two runs while Matt Essner -- who only entered the game in the sixth inning -- had a game-high four RBIs, three coming on a bases-loaded double in the seventh.

Notre Dame slugger Josh Eftink had the game's only home run, a solo shot in the fifth inning that was his sixth round-tripper of the season.

O'Rourke was the winning pitcher. He allowed six hits and three runs in five innings.

Eftink hurled a scoreless sixth while Tim Wencewicz gave up one run in the seventh.

Scott City had 10 hits, three each by Lance Amick and Wade Powers. They both also drove in two runs while Brandon Amick scored three times.

Lucas Ward suffered the loss as he allowed seven runs -- but only three of them earned -- and six hits in four innings. John Wipfler gave up seven runs and six hits in three innings.

The Rams actually took a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Bulldogs got one in the second and three in the third -- all four runs were unearned -- to go up 4-1.

It was 5-2 when Notre Dame got three in the fifth, including Eftink's homer to left.

Leading 9-3, the Bulldogs made things a total blowout with a five-run seventh.