'DOGS OUTDUEL DEVILS IN SEMO CONFERENCE CLASH

Notre Dame's Brian Obermann and Chaffee's Matt Stroup are touted as two of the area's top high school pitchers and they did nothing to damage their reputations Wednesday.

Offense was at a premium as Obermann hurled the host Bulldogs past Stroup's Red Devils 4-1. The final few innings of the game were played in a steady rain, although action was never stopped.

The Bulldogs, ranked first in the state in Class 2A, improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEMO Conference play. The Red Devils fell to 2-2, 1-2 in the league.

"With those two throwing, you figured there wouldn't be a whole lot of offense," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell. "Both kids threw the ball real well."

Obermann, who had experienced a rough outing last Friday against Jackson, bounced back with a stellar performance. In six innings, the left-hander allowed two hits and one run while striking out eight and walking two. He also hit two batters.

"We worked the next day (after the Jackson game) with Brian and adjusted some things," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett. "We knew he'd bounce back. He's our No. 1 pitcher."

Stroup was nearly as effective as Obermann. The right-hander, also pitching six innings, gave up six hits while fanning nine, walking one and hitting a batter. Of the four runs Stroup allowed, only one was earned.

"I thought Matt pitched an outstanding game," Horrell said. "But all the credit goes to Brian Obermann. He had an outstanding performance."

Said Graviett, "Stroup threw tremendous. I'm satisfied getting six hits off him."

Scott Eftink hurled the final inning for Notre Dame, fanning two and allowing one hit.

Stroup was the only player with two hits while Tommy Stidham added the other Chaffee safety.

Notre Dame's six hits were scattered among six players. Wes Steele and Josh Eftink had the biggest blows, Steele delivering a two-run single in the first inning that served as the game-winning hit and Eftink adding some insurance with a a towering two-run homer to left in the fifth.

Also hitting safely for Notre Dame were Obermann, Timmy Wencewicz, John O'Rourke and Scott Reinagel, who had a double for one of only two extra-base hits in the contest.

The Bulldogs took advantage of some sloppy Chaffee defense in the opening inning to score the only two runs they would need.

Leadoff batter Tommy Wencewicz reached on an error. Timmy Wencewicz then put down a sacrifice but and, as a bonus, was able to reach safely when nobody covered first.

Stroup appeared poised to escape damage when he retired the next two batters. But Reinagel was hit by a pitch to load the bases and then Steele singled to center, scoring the Wencewicz brothers.

"We gave them five outs in the first inning and that really hurt us," said Horrell.

The game remained 2-0 until the fifth, when Timmy Wencewicz reached on an error and Eftink followed with his second home run of the season, a blast well beyond the left-field fence.

Chaffee got its only run in the sixth as Stroup singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Zach Horman. The Red Devils stranded two runners that inning after having left the bases loaded in the fourth.

"It was a good ballgame," said Horrell. "It could have been 1-1, but they put the ball in play a little more than we did."

Added Graviett, "Getting the two runs early against Stroup was important and then Eftink's home run was big."

Both squads are right back in action today, Notre Dame hosting Sikeston in an early-season showdown of unbeaten SEMO Conference teams and Chaffee visiting Poplar Bluff.