ND STAVES OFF FREDERICKTOWN 9-7

Notre Dame's Andrew DePeder blasted a three-run homer to deep center field to key a five-run second inning in a 9-7 win over Fredericktown at Notre Dame Field Wednesday afternoon.

DePeder, the top run producer for the Bulldogs, finished with four RBIs.

"The kid's been hitting the ball hard all year," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett. "He's a big, strong kid that's worked extremely hard to make himself the hitter he is."

Notre Dame (8-4) drew first blood when Todd Friend, who had singled, scored all the way from second base when the Fredericktown catcher backed up first base instead of covering home plate as John O'Rourke grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Timmy Wencewicz later singled home DePeder with the second run of the first inning.

The Blackcats (5-8) picked up an unearned run in the top of the second with the benefit of a walk, a wild pitch and two Notre Dame errors to narrow the gap to 2-1.

Scott Eftink and Friend smashed RBI hits in the bottom of the second, prior to DePeder's blow to send the Bulldogs up 7-1.

Fredericktown's Chris Wood came on in relief of struggling starter Clay Hendrix and retired Lance Dohogne to end the inning. Wood limited the Bulldogs to one hit the rest of the way, although they were able to scratch out a run in the third and another in the fourth.

Bulldog starter and winning pitcher Wencewicz ran into trouble in the third inning as Wood belted a two-run shot to left field to narrow the margin to 7-3.

Wayne Essner relieved Wencewicz with no outs and a runner on first base. Two Essner strikeouts wrapped around a Blackcat runner caught stealing at second base by catcher Kyle Dively -- his second of the day -- ended the Fredericktown threat.

Fredericktown added a single run in the fourth inning and three more in the sixth to tighten the final margin.

"I'm proud of the way the kids battled back and we made a game of it, at least," said Fredericktown coach Scott Sikes.

For the second day in a row, Notre Dame's Scott Eftink came on in the final inning to close out the game and pick up a save.

"Now all we ask of him is to get us a win tomorrow (against Dexter)," said Graviett. "He's put himself up there as our best pitcher, so we're going to go to him when we need him."

DePeder and Friend led the eight-hit Bulldog offense with two hits apiece.

Fredericktown's Steve Dulaney was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Aaron Proffer chipped in with two of the Blackcats' eight hits.