Ironic four - ND dives into private-school showdown

When the Missouri high school baseball championships open today, Notre Dame will be part of a quartet making an ironic closing statement to the controversial enrollment multiplier.

As if on cue, the battle in Class 2A will be waged by four private schools, just a few weeks after the multiplier issue was approved for next season by the state's public schools.

Notre Dame (18-5) will tangle with top-ranked John Burroughs (22-3) in a 5 p.m. semifinal today. Perennial power St. Pius X (21-4) of Kansas City and Springfield Catholic (15-9) will follow at 8 p.m., the winners advancing to Thursday's championship.

The final four monopoly was not lost on Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett, who leads his team into the semifinals for the third time in four years.

"It's kind of a win-win for both sides," Graviett said. "Private schools are saying hard work is the reason why they're there, and the public schools are saying we're always there. I don't think it settles anything. It proves both our points."

The four schools have combined for nine state championships and the whole group will move to Class 3A next year.

Notre Dame, which has won three state titles, is making its first state appearance since 2000, when it finished third. John Burroughs has won two titles and finished fourth last season.

After breezing to district and sectional wins, Notre Dame had to rally for a 9-6 victory over Park Hills in the quarterfinal round.

The Bombers lived up to their name with a 20-6 pummeling of Palmyra in the quarterfinals. It was the 12th time they reached double figures in runs this year and the second time they reached 20. Burroughs, which features two sons of former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Andy Van Slyke, brings in a robust .413 team batting average.

"They're capable of scoring 20, but they've also been held to one or two," Graviett said. "We'll try to hold them down."

The Bulldogs will start junior right-hander Jeff Brosey (4-1), who hasn't given up an earned run in district and sectional games. Notre Dame will come back the second day with quarterfinal winner Blake Urhahn, a sophomore, if he's not needed in relief today.

"If we need to use three pitchers in the first game, we will," Graviett said, calling his pitching staff the deepest one he's taken to the state tournament.

Burroughs will likely counter with junior Jason Dupont (8-0), who has logged nearly twice as many innings as any other Bombers pitcher this season.

Notre Dame, averaging 10.67 runs in its last six games, has been hitting above its .339 team batting average as of late.

jbreer@semissourian.com

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