ND handles district softball foe Perryville

Another start for Lauren Reinagel -- another shutdown performance.

Reinagel lost her perfect game in the fifth and no-hit bid in the seventh inning, but helped her Bulldogs knock off district foe Perryville 9-2 on Wednesday night at Notre Dame.

"We were preparing to see them in districts," Reinagel said. "We wanted to see what we had to face."

"She threw well enough today to have a no-hitter," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "If we make a couple plays behind her in the seventh, she finishes with a no-hitter against a good team."

Reinagel struck out the first six batters she faced and fanned 15 batters total. She allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit.

Notre Dame baserunner Hali Rendleman prepares to take her lead as Perryville pitcher Casey Hotop delivers during Wednesday's game at Notre Dame. (Laura Simon ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian)

"She was mixing her pitches up well," Perryville coach Jeff Steffens said. "I think everybody talking about how good her changeup was, we were trying to sit on it and got behind on the fastball. Then when she threw the changeup, we were out in front."

The Bulldogs (18-2) wasted no time in scoring.

Sophomore Brianne Sanders reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first inning. It was one of three times Sanders reached base on the night, an important role for a team that loves speed.

"She's tremendously important right now, getting her on and utilizing her speed to get around the bases," Graviett said. "She's our weapon right now. It's an opportunity to score a run anytime she gets on base."

"I'm just focusing a lot," Sanders said. "Practicing a lot, coming out and staying after practice because I know I have to get on base."

Perryville's Becca Hanquist prepares to tag out Notre Dame baserunner Ashton Elfrink during Wednesday's game.

Mallory Siebert followed Sanders with a liner to left. A double steal advanced both runners before Sanders scored on a passed ball and Siebert came home on a wild pitch to give Notre Dame an early 2-0 lead.

The bats would fall silent until the bottom of the fourth, when the Bulldogs struck for seven runs on five hits, three walks and one error.

Nicole Blattel roped a single to right to get things started. Summer Burger drew a walk and Hali Rendelman was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

Sanders had an RBI infield single to make it 3-0. After a fly out, Jane Morrill hit a grounder that went under the third baseman's glove to drive in Burger to pad the lead. Another fly out brought up Alecia Glaus. She hit a blooper that nearly was caught by the Pirates' first baseman, but fell to plate two more runners. Brooke Glastetter then tripled to deep center field to drive in two more, making it 9-0.

"I told the girls it might have been 9-2 on the scoreboard, but if they make a couple plays it's a barnburner," Graviett said. "They proved today they can compete with us."

Perryville's Ashley Wingerter, left, and Casey Brewer chase a pop up during Wednesday's game at Notre Dame. Notre Dame defeated Perryville 9-2.Laura SimonSpecial to the Southeast Missourian

"I thought the nine runs were very deceiving," Steffens added. "With all our mental mistakes we made, she [Casey Hotop] pitched very well. She kept the ball down and threw a lot of strikes. Tonight we let her down by not making the plays."

Hotop hurled all seven innings, allowing nine runs, six earned, and striking out seven.

Reinagel's perfect game was erased when an error in the fifth allowed a baserunner, but she still took a no-hitter into the seventh.

Desiree Buhler reached on an error to lead off the seventh. A fielder's choice by Morgan Baer made it first and third with no outs, before a groundout by Rebecca Hanquist drove in Buhler to put Perryville (19-4) on the board. With two outs, Reinagel still had a no-hitter, but Ashley Wingerter hit a liner that glanced off diving third baseman Glastetter's glove to break it up and drive in Baer. Reinagel fanned Hotop to end the game.

"Very important to come out and get the girls to see Lauren pitch," Steffens said. "Get a chance to face her and see what kind of adjustments they can make next time if we get that chance."

Perryville 000 000 2 -- 2 1 4

Notre Dame 200 700 x -- 9 8 2

WP -- Lauren Reinagel. LP -- Casey Hotop. 3B -- Brooke Glastetter (ND). 2B -- Jane Morrill (ND). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame: Brianne Sanders 2-4. Records: Notre Dame 18-2, Perryville 19-4.