ND softball fends off Jackson

Ashley Cook kept the Notre Dame bats quiet -- for the most part.

Unfortunately, Lauren Reinagel silenced Jackson (3-11) as well.

Reinagel hurled a shutout to lead the Notre Dame softball team to a 4-0 victory over host Jackson on Thursday.

"They had some good at-bats on her," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "We made the plays defensively. We kind of have come to expect her to keep it down to one run or less."

The Bulldogs' (13-2) offense struggled most of the afternoon against Cook, but broke through in the second and third innings with small ball.

Notre Dame's Alecia Glaus led off the top of the second with a walk before stealing second base. With two outs, sophomore Summer Burger tagged a single and took second on a stolen base. The next batter, Hali Rendelman, recorded a bunt single to drive in Glaus and put the Bulldogs on the board.

Burger would come around to score on an error to make it 2-0.

"That's the name of this game, especially when we get to the postseason," Graviett said. "Try to get those girls on and cause havoc."

The Indians threatened to strike in the bottom half of the inning when Katie Garner lined a one-out double to deep center field. But the Indians failed to bring her in.

Jackson stranded six runners.

"We're putting the ball in play good right now," Jackson coach Amanda Forester said. "We're just not capitalizing, so hopefully the next few games we'll start pushing the runners over and start getting some wins."

Notre Dame struck again in the third inning.

Senior Jane Morrill roped a double to center to lead off the inning. Reinagel then tagged a double to right to drive in Morrill. Reinagel later scored when Savanna Ayers bunted her home to make it 4-0.

Jackson nearly answered in the bottom half.

The Indians had runners on first and second with two outs before Reinagel induced a ground ball to end the threat.

In the sixth, Jackson had its best opportunity to get back into the game.

Tory Smith lined a one-out single to left field. With two outs, Garner laced a single to center to make it first and second. But the Indians' threat halted when Reinagel fanned Michelle VanGennip.

"Alecia [Glaus] gave me good targets," Reinagel said. "I hit my spots."

Reinagel finished with six strikeouts and allowed five hits.

Cook pitched all seven innings for Jackson, striking out two. Despite the four runs, she kept the Bulldogs off balance.

"I thought she did a tremendous job of going in and out and keeping them off balance," Graviett said. "She really had a lot of success against us."

"I think she prepared well," Forester said. "She took last game's information and looked through it and prepared. She was moving them around, keeping them off balance with the changeup, working inside and outside. She did a great job."

Notre Dame stranded seven runners.

"Just didn't push them across," Graviett said. "Jackson didn't give us the opportunities. They were making plays in the field. We got a few leadoff runners on and we have to find a way to get those runners home."

Notre Dame 022 000 0 -- 4 5 1

Jackson 000 000 0 -- 0 5 1

WP -- Reinagel, 12-2. LP -- Cook, 3-4. 2B -- Jane Morrill (ND), Reinagel (ND), Katie Garner (J). Multiple hits -- Jackson: Garner 2-3. Records, Notre Dame 13-3, Jackson 3-11