ND CAPTURES ITS OWN TOURNAMENT

After losing to Sikeston on Thursday, Notre Dame's baseball team got back on track Saturday by claiming first place in its own four-team tournament.

Notre Dame defeated Sikeston 6-3 in the first game then knocked off Jackson for the second time this season, 9-3, in the championship game.

Chaffee took third place, falling 7-0 to Jackson in the first game, then posting an impressive 7-6 upset of Sikeston in the second game.

In the championship game, Notre Dame, which had been struggling offensively so far this season, busted out of its slump in impressive fashion with a six-run third.

The big hit of the inning was a three-run homer off the bat of Josh Eftink that traveled nearly 400 feet. It easily cleared Notre Dame's new scoreboard past the left-field fence.

The homer put Notre Dame up 3-0, scoring Timmy Wencewicz, who reached on a bunt single, and John O'Rourke, who also singled.

Before the blast, Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett told Wencewicz, who was standing at third, "I don't care if Josh hits it to McDonald's, you tag up."

Once contact was made, Wencewicz went back to the base and replied, "That one's going to McDonald's in Jackson."

Not only did Eftink's blast impress the large crowd, it seemed to spark the whole team.

"In the third our bats came alive and we started playing like I thought we would all year," said Graviett. "To me, Josh starts (the momentum) with a home run and everyone just fed off that."

Eftink was the fourth straight batter to reach in the third and the Bulldogs sent seven batters to the plate before they made an out on a sacrifice bunt.

Notre Dame scored two more runs in the second on a two-run double by Wes Steele and scored another in the sixth on a fielder's choice.

Eftink led Notre Dame with three hits and a walk. John O'Rourke and Steele each had two hits.

Jackson, which gave the Bulldogs all they could handle in a 10-inning game last month, couldn't match Notre Dame's bats on Saturday.

The Indians managed nine hits, but couldn't put a big inning together. Jackson scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Nathan Brown capped off an unbelievable week for Jackson with a 2-for-2 performance. In five games this past week, Brown went 9-for-15 with five walks, eight runs batted in, 10 runs scored and two stolen bases.

Toby Freeman also had two hits for Jackson against Notre Dame.

Despite the loss, Jackson coach Sam Sides was satisfied with the way his team has played of late.

"If we go 4-1 every week, I'll be happy," said Sides. "We really played good baseball. Our pitching was good, we threw strikes. They just hit the ball on the nose. We lost because they beat us not because we beat ourselves. I see improvement. Our defense has been pretty good and we're putting the ball in play."

John O'Rourke pitched a nice game for the Bulldogs. He went six innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks. He struck out three.

Chaffee 7, Sikeston 6

In the third-place game, the Red Devils picked up a much-needed win over a Sikeston team that came into Saturday's tournament undefeated with wins over Cape Central and Notre Dame.

"It was a big win for us," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell. "There's a huge difference between 2-4 and 3-3. This has got to be a big boost for us."

G.P. Glueck provided the big hit, a three-run homer to left, in going 2-for-3. Travis Hanback went 2-for-4.

Tommy Stidham picked up the win for Chaffee. He went five innings and allowed three runs, two earned. He struck out three and walked three. Matt Stroup closed out the game, striking out five batters in two innings of relief.

Billy Puckett, Sikeston's No. 1 starter, suffered the loss.

Notre Dame 6, Sikeston 3

In a role reversal from a rematch of Thursday's game, Sikeston was sloppy in the field and Notre Dame took advantage as Mark Ostendorf pitched well.

Sikeston, which beat Notre Dame 13-8 two days prior, committed five errors and allowed five unearned runs.

Tommy Wencewicz was the only player with two hits. Scott Reinagel hit a two-run double.

Ostendorf pitched a complete game, giving up all three runs in the fourth inning. He gave up six hits and walked none while striking out eight. Ostendorf faced the minimum and struck out four through the first three innings.

Jackson 7, Chaffee 0

Lance Limbaugh pitched a gem as the Indians won their fourth straight game.

Limbaugh threw a seven-inning four hitter, while striking out nine and giving up just one walk.

"He did an outstanding job today," said Sides. "He got ahead of batters all day long. This was probably our best game of the year."

Jackson got an RBI double from Brown that scored Tory Meyr in the first for what would be the only run Jackson would need.

Jackson managed six hits and six walks