ND stays unbeaten with 9-1 win vs. Central

~ The Bulldogs improved to 5-0 with Tuesday's win against the Tigers.

Notre Dame exacted a measure of revenge Tuesday night by beating visiting Central 9-1.

The Bulldogs suffered a pair of losses to city rival Central last season despite reaching the Class 3 state baseball semifinals.

"It's good to get some payback," Bulldogs junior shortstop Colton Young said.

Notre Dame, ranked second in the most recent Class 3 state poll, improved to 5-0, including 3-0 in the SEMO Conference. Central fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in league play.

"It was good getting back at them," Notre Dame senior pitcher Dylan Drury said. "We played well tonight."

Drury and Young combined to help bury the Tigers.

Drury pushed his record on the mound to 3-0 by allowing just one hit in six innings, although he was hurt by wildness. Drury walked seven to go along with seven strikeouts.

"I couldn't find it [his control] from the stretch," Drury said.

Drury also delivered a massive three-run homer well over the right-field fence as part of a six-run fifth inning that broke open things.

"It's my first home run in two years, since I was a sophomore," said Drury, who bats left-handed but throws from the right side. "It feels good."

Young also homered for the first time this season, on the second pitch Josh Meyer threw.

Young's leadoff shot in the bottom of the first inning, which cleared the left-field fence by plenty, tied the contest at 1-1.

"We came out swinging the bats a lot better than we have been," said Young, who also serves as one of Notre Dame's top pitchers.

Despite Notre Dame's undefeated start, coach Jeff Graviett said the Bulldogs had been struggling at the plate.

Graviett was pleased to see Notre Dame's 11-hit attack.

"Our bats came alive," Graviett said. "We've been waiting on that."

Notre Dame's defense was also strong. The Bulldogs made some impressive plays, including several from senior third baseman Ryan Bass.

"I was very pleased with the way we played," Graviett said. "Bass is really solid over there at third."

Despite the lopsided final score, Central also was solid much of the night, especially in the field as the Tigers came up with several strong defensive plays of their own.

A two-out RBI triple by senior third baseman Ryan Grigaitis in the first inning gave Central a 1-0 lead. But the Tigers would have no more hits or runs the rest of the way.

After Young's leadoff homer in Notre Dame's half of the first tied the contest, the Bulldogs went ahead for good with a two-run fourth that featured an RBI double by Bass and a sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Wesley Glaus.

With every Notre Dame batter having seen Meyer twice to that point, Central coach Steve Williams thought it was a good time to lift his junior hurler.

But Notre Dame's offense only got stronger as the Bulldogs battered senior Zach Wilson for seven hits and six runs in the fifth inning. In addition to Drury's three-run homer, junior DH Jeremy Essner delivered a two-run double.

Meyer (0-2) allowed four hits and three runs in taking the loss. He walked three and did not strike out a batter.

"I thought Josh was pretty good," Williams said.

Young, junior left fielder Jake Pewitt and junior catcher Mark Hagedorn all had two hits for Notre Dame.

Essner finished the win with a hitless seventh inning, fanning one and walking two.

Central senior shortstop Blake Smith went to the mound after Wilson and fired a perfect sixth inning.

Notre Dame hosts Dexter today in a key conference game that also should have important district tournament seeding ramifications. Young will pitch for the Bulldogs.

"We talked tonight about making a big statement in the conference, and we want to add to that against Dexter by making another big statement for the conference and district," Graviett said.

Central 100 000 0 -- 1 1 1

Notre Dame 100 260 x -- 9 11 1

WP -- Dylan Drury, 3-0. LP -- Josh Meyer, 0-2. HR -- Drury (ND), Colton Young (ND). 3B -- Ryan Grigaitis (C). 2B -- Ryan Bass (ND), Jeremy Essner (ND). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame, Young 2-3, Jake Pewitt 2-3, Mark Hagedorn 2-3. Records -- Central 3-4, Notre Dame 5-0.