Modglin leads Scott City to 8-0 win against Notre Dame

Scott City hurler Ryan Modglin felt a little extra motivated to play Notre Dame on Tuesday because he lost his start to the Bulldogs last year.

He also was eager to help Scott City earn a victory over Notre Dame for the first time since 1997, when Rams coach Lance Amick was a sophomore in high school.

"I get pumped up for every game, but I really wanted to beat these guys because we haven't beat them in such a long time," Modglin said.

Modglin did just about everything he could to secure the win.

He went 2-for-3 at the plate, including drilling two home runs and knocking in four runs. He dominated on the mound, too, tossing a complete-game shutout, striking out 14 Bulldogs batters and scattering four hits to propel the Rams to an 8-0 victory at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Scott City improved to 7-1. The Bulldogs dropped to 6-5.

"It's one the best feelings because [Notre Dame] is a good baseball team," Modglin said. "We've always wanted to beat them. It's kind of like a rivalry, Red Sox and Yankees. This is a good high school rivalry in Scott City and Notre Dame."

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Scott City's (#14) connects with the ball, knocking it over the center field fence in the first inning against Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

Modglin improved his pitching record to 3-1. His two homers now give him five home runs this season.

He actually took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Notre Dame's Aaron Tomaszewski broke it up with a sharp single to left field.

"He had a little extra motivation today," Amick said. "Last year [against Notre Dame], he didn't have the outing he wanted in Scott City in this game, and I think he's been waiting 365 for this day."

Modglin, who signed in November to play baseball at Missouri State next year, manufactured some early run support.

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Scott City's Josh Henson dove back safely to first as Notre Dame first baseman Dylan Drury received the pickoff throw.

With Rams leadoff hitter Shae Simmons already on third base after hitting a triple to start the game, Modglin stroked a two-run homer over the fence in left-center field, close to the 370-foot sign in center. His first-inning homer was off Bulldogs ace Mark Himmelberg, who threw him a curveball.

"That pretty much put Notre Dame down," said Modglin, who added that he had never faced Himmelberg before the at bat. "Third batter of the game and it's already 2-0."

Amick said Modglin's hitting can get overlooked because he is known so much for his pitching.

"Last year he hit about .500 playing a pretty good schedule and saw some good pitching," Amick said. "Everybody knows about his pitching. He's a good pitcher. But I'll tell you what -- he can hit the ball. When he gets up there, there is no give in his at-bats. He hit the first home run with two strikes. He's tough. He's a tough out."

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com ABOVE: Scott City's Ryan Modglin blasted a home run to center field during the first inning Tuesday against Notre Dame. TOP: Modglin was greeted by teammates at the plate after he hit his second home run during the third inning.

Scott City went up 3-0 in the second inning when Skylar Cobb stroked an RBI single to right field.

Modglin hit another two-run homer in the the third when Himmelberg threw him a fastball inside. Catcher Cody Carlyle followed with a solo homer to give the Rams a 6-0 lead.

Modglin cruised on the mound from the first inning onward. He retired the first 10 Notre Dame hitters he faced, eight by way of the strikeout. The Bulldogs didn't get their first baserunner until Himmelberg walked with one out in the fourth.

"He was doing everything real well," Carlyle said of Modglin. "His fastball was around the plate. His forkball, like always, was really hard to catch."

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Notre Dame pitcher Mark Himmelberg turns around after watching Scott City's third home run land over the fence in the third inning on Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

Himmelberg added: "With how dominant a pitcher Ryan is, it's just hard to really get anything going. We really didn't make the adjustments at the plate until the last three innings and weren't really able to get anything going."

Amick said he saw Modglin's extra motivation in the bottom of the seventh inning when he went out to the mound to talk with his pitcher. Notre Dame had runners at first and second with two outs.

Modglin told his coach he wanted to record the final out. And he did, getting Himmelberg to ground out to third.

"I think it was evident in the seventh inning," Amick said. "He didn't want out of the ballgame. ... He just let me know he wanted to stay out there. I appreciate his competitive fire. I knew how much it meant to him."

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Scott City 213 000 2 -- 8 12 0

Notre Dame 000 000 0 -- 0 4 1

WP -- Ryan Modglin (3-1). LP -- Mark Himmelberg. HR -- Modglin (SC) 2, Cody Carlyle (SC) 1. 3B, Shae Simmons (SC) i. 2B -- Cody Page (SC) 1, Simmons (SC) 1, Carlyle (SC) 1. Multiple hits -- Scott City: Page 2-3, Shae Simmons 2-4, Modglin 2-3, Carlyle 2-4. Records -- Scott City 7-1, Notre Dame 6-5.