Leopold girls romp in season opener

The Leopold softball team couldn't have asked for a better way to debut its spring season Wednesday.

The Wildcats scored 21 runs in the first inning and blistered host Bell City 45-0 in a game stopped after three innings by the mercy rule.

Ashlyn Bucher belted a grand slam, a triple and went 4 for 4 to lead Leopold's offense.

"That ball had to have gone 20 feet behind the fence," Leopold coach Keenan Kinder said of Bucher's homer. "She just tattooed it."

Dana Thiele went 3 for 3 with a triple. Lexi Vandeven was 3 for 4.

Caitlin Petty took the win in the circle, giving up two hits and striking out three.

Leopold (21)8(16) -- 45 12 0

Bell City 000 -- 0 2 X

WP -- Caitlin Petty, 1-0. LP -- Woodson, 0-1. HR -- Ashlyn Bucher (L). 3B -- Ashlyn Bucher (L), Dana Thiele (L). Multiple hits -- Leopold: Ashlyn Bucher 4-4, Dana Thiele 3-3, Lexi Vandeven 3-4. Records -- Leopold 1-0, Bell City 0-1.

BOYS GOLF

St. Vincent 186, Perryville 188, Ste. Genevieve 193

Levi Gotto shot a 7-over-par to lead the Indians to a season-opening victory at the Ste. Genevieve Country Club.

St. Vincent (186) -- Levi Gotto 43, Zach Heberlie 47, Alex Miget 47, Kelly Welker 49, Matt Julian 53, Matt Prost 69

BASEBALL

Leopold 18, Bell City 11

Joe Elfrink and James Jansen belted home runs to lead Leopold past host Bell City in the opener for both teams.

Zach Elfrink was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts. He also went 3 for 4 with a double.

Joe Elfrink went 3 for 3. Jansen and Cord Cooper added two hits apiece.

Jerad Yates had a triple and a double and went 3 for 5 to pace the Cubs. Nate Finney and Aaron Smith each added two hits.

Leopold 303 453 -- 18 13 3

Bell City 212 303 -- 11 10 4

WP -- Zach Elfrink, 1-0. LP -- Jerad Yates, 0-1. HR -- Joe Elfrink (L), James Jansen (L). 3B -- Jerad Yates (BC). 2B -- Austin Bucher (L), Casey Graham (L), Zach Elfrink (L), Cord Cooper (L), Jerad Yates (BC), Nate Finney (BC). Multiple hits -- Leopold: Zach Elfrink 3-4, James Jansen 2-3, Joe Elfrink 3-3, Cord Cooper 2-5; Bell City: Jerad Yates 3-5, Nate Finney 2-5, Aaron Smith 2-5. Records -- Leopold 1-0, Bell City 0-1.

GIRLS SOCCER

Central 2, De Soto 1

Central picked up its first win of the season on the road.

Mollie Nelms scored an goal unassisted for the Tigers (1-1) while Maddie Shell scored the second goal with an assist from Abby Schupert.

Goalkeeper Brie Shaw snagged three saves.

JV -- Central won 3-0.

BOYS TENNIS

Notre Dame 6, Farmington 3

Notre Dame opened its season with a home win over Farmington.

Nick Essner, Zach Anderson, Jacob Compas and Alex Winkel won their singles matches to lead the Bulldogs (1-0) to victory.

Ian Powers and John Augustine, in both singles and doubles, were the lone victors for the Knights (1-1).

Singles

No. 1 -- Ian Powers (F) def. Mason Seesing 6-1, 6-4

No. 2 -- John Augustine (F) def. Byron Reeves 6-0, 6-3

No. 3 -- Nick Essner (ND) def. Zach Scruggs 6-0, 6-2

No. 4 -- Zach Anderson (ND) def. Grant Harrison 6-0, 6-0

No. 5 -- Jacob Compas (ND) def. James Kahn 6-0, 6-1

No. 6 -- Alex Wikel (ND) def. Theodore Schwalenberg 6-1, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1 -- Powers-Augustine (F) def. Seesing-Anderson 8-3

No. 2 -- Reeves-Essner (ND) def. Scruggs-Harrison 8-2

No. 3 -- Compas-Wikel (ND) def. Kahn-Schwalenberg 8-2

JV -- Notre Dame won 6-0.

-- From staff reports