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SportsApril 9, 2008

Notre Dame sophomore hurler Tanner Hiett wears his baseball cap slanted a little over to one side just like C.C. Sabathia. He admitted he's been doing it since the seventh grade because the Cleveland Indians ace is his favorite pitcher. Hiett's strong pitching to begin this spring has also made him look a bit like Sabathia. He had another strong outing Tuesday against Jackson to earn his first victory...

Notre Dame sophomore hurler Tanner Hiett wears his baseball cap slanted a little over to one side just like C.C. Sabathia.

He admitted he's been doing it since the seventh grade because the Cleveland Indians ace is his favorite pitcher.

Hiett's strong pitching to begin this spring has also made him look a bit like Sabathia. He had another strong outing Tuesday against Jackson to earn his first victory.

Hiett pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, both unearned, while striking out four batters. Fellow Bulldogs sophomore Jake Pewitt belted three hits and had three RBIs to help Notre Dame to a 10-2 win over the Indians at Notre Dame Regional High School.

The game was moved to Notre Dame because of wet field conditions at Jackson.

Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said Hiett (1-2) has given up just one earned run in three starts this spring, but has been hurt by 13 unearned runs.

"I thought he did a tremendous job today," Graviett said. "We've struggled playing defense for him all year long, and he really stepped it up today after we continued to [struggle defensively] in the first. He gave us a great effort. He's a sophomore, and there's a lot of big things we're expecting out of him."

Jackson (1-7) scored its two runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead.

Hiett did not get flustered and kept the deficit at two runs until the Bulldogs (4-4) finally broke through in the top half of the fourth.

Hiett said he struggled with his curveball at times, but he felt comfortable with his fastball.

"I knew my defense was behind me the whole game," Hiett said. "I knew they were going to make the plays for me. ... After they scored those two runs, I just relaxed. I told myself I have a defense and I've got to throw my game, so I did."

The Bulldogs scored four runs off Jackson starter Caleb Hosey in the fourth inning.

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Colton Young started the rally by drawing a two-out walk. He advanced to second base on a passed ball, and scored when Jacob Valleroy hit a sharp grounder that was booted by Jackson's first baseman.

Wesley Glaus and Blake Gaddis followed with back-to-back singles that plated another run and knotted the game 2-2.

The rally was capped by a sharp two-run single to center field by Pewitt, whose average is over. 500.

Pewitt, like Hiett, is in his first year of starting after seeing limited action last year.

He started the year hitting in the No. 2 spot, but he has been moved to leadoff the past few games.

He's a spark plug for us," Hiett said of Pewitt. "He really helped us today. ... I've grown up playing with him, and he's showing that he can [hit]. And he's going to continue to, I think."

Dylan Drury added: "That hit meant a lot. It got us [ahead]. It was a real clutch hit. ... Normally when we get that one big hit, it starts coming together for everybody. [And Hiett] did a real good job of throwing strikes today. "

Young, also a sophomore, pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the Bulldogs, striking out five and giving up no runs while the Notre Dame offense added five runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.

"The biggest thing that has gotten us all year long is giving up the big inning," Jackson coach Rob French said. "We had two outs [in the fourth]. Our first baseman left too far from the bag trying to field the ball. Didn't field it right there. That would have made the third out in the inning, and then four runs come across after that. It kind of took the wind out of our sails. And after that the intensity just kind of fell. We struggled after that point."

Notre Dame 000 405 1 — 10 12 1

Jackson 200 000 0 — 2 5 1

WP — Tanner Hiett (1-2). LP — Caleb Hosey, 1-2. HR — Austin Greer (ND) 2B — Jake Pewitt (ND), Dylan Drury (ND), Jacob Valleroy (ND). Multiple hits — Notre Dame, Pewitt 3-4; Valleroy 2-4, Wesley Glaus 3-4. Jackson : Andy Winkleblack 2-3, Ryan Cheney 2-3. Records — Jackson 1-7, Notre Dame 4-4.

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