ND WINS ITS FIRST BIG EIGHT CROWN

Notre Dame must have ate big before the Big 8.

The Bulldogs had just a little more pop and seemed just a bit sharper than the Cape Central Tigers Saturday as Notre Dame won its first Big 8 championship, 14-9, over its cross-town rival at Tiger Field.

Notre Dame (14-4), which pulled away with a six-run sixth, blasted four home runs and came within five feet from having six as it pounded out 14 hits in the game.

Central (14-6), which was a 6-3 winner over Mt. Vernon, Ill. in the semifinals, had 12 hits -- only three of which went for extra bases.

"We hit well," said Cape Central coach Steve Williams. "Just not as well as they did."

"The last two days we've really hit the baseball," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "A few of the kids stayed after the game when we lost to Perryville and worked hard and it's really paid off. The only thing is, the next couple of weeks we'll have a light schedule gamewise. We'll have to come out and really challenge ourselves and really work in practice."

John O'Rourke and Matt Bollinger both had spectacular games for the Bulldogs. O'Rourke, who was moved to leadoff spot for this tournament, went 4-for-6 with a homer, a double, three runs batted in and three runs scored. Bollinger homered and scored three times in going 4-for-5.

"I think it's been me not thinking about not hitting the ball so hard (to drive in runs)," said O'Rourke, who had six hits and four RBIs Saturday in two games. " I'm just trying to get on base. I'm just trying to hit the ball where it's pitched."

"We moved John to the leadoff spot Friday and he's really responded," said Graviett. "Josh (Eftink) has been hitting well enough to have 40 RBIs but we haven't been getting on in front of him. Our top two spots have really come through the last couple of games."

Notre Dame, which reached the championship game via a 7-3 win over Eureka, jumped out on top of Central early when O'Rourke doubled and scored on a wild pitch. But Cape Central responded in its half of the inning, rocking starting pitcher Josh Eftink for four runs on three hits. T.J. Erlacker came up with a two-out, three-run triple down the right field line to give Central a 4-1 lead.

Notre Dame added one more in the second and five more in the third. Timmy Wencewicz hit a three-run homer in the third, which was followed by Eftink's ninth homer of the year, an opposite field shot that traveled approximately 400 feet. Eftink's blast gave Notre Dame an 8-4 lead.

After a solo home run by Bollinger in the top of the fifth, Cape Central made a game of it with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, slicing the Bulldogs' lead to 9-7. Dusty Barrows provided a two-run double off the right-field fence and later scored on an error.

Notre Dame, which suffered a loss to Central earlier this season, put the game away in the sixth when three errors doomed Central as the Bulldogs scored six runs. O'Rourke blasted a shot to straight center which plated two runs and Scott Reinagel doubled home two off the center field fence. After 12 batters went to the plate, the Bulldogs had opened up a 14-7 lead.

"This one feels great," said O'Rourke. "We wanted to get them back. The reason we won was because everybody was pumped up and ready to go this time."

Central added two runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Mark Fisher and an RBI double by Justin Welker.

"We're playing pretty well," said Central coach Steve Williams. "We just didn't make some plays today. We had our chances. I'm pleased with the way we didn't give up.

"I certainly wish we would've won, but this was the way it's supposed to be. Two good schools and two good programs fighting for the championship. It's a good, heated rivalry."

Eftink picked up the win, though his ERA of 1.29 definitely took a hit. Eftink went six innings and allowed nine runs, seven earned, on 12 hits and five walks. He struck out six.

Richard Harrison took the loss for Central in relief of starter Justin Welker who lasted 1 2/3 innings. Harrison went 3 1/3 innings and gave up 10 runs, eight earned, on eight hits.

Cape Central 6, Mt. Vernon, Ill. 3

In a game that the Tigers trailed most of the way, Cape Central broke out of a 2-1 hole by scoring five unearned runs in the fifth inning.

Three Mt. Vernon errors loomed huge in the inning.

The eventual game-tying run crossed in the fifth when Central's Zac Fidler stole home with two outs. That run gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Mark Fisher, who one inning earlier hit a solo home run, then provided an RBI when he reached on an error. Dusty Barrows gave Central two insurance runs when, after fouling off three straight pitches with two strikes, hit a soft liner to center which plated two runs and gave the Tigers a 6-2 lead.

Mt. Vernon managed another run in the sixth, but had a runner thrown out at the plate for the final out. Mt. Vernon also got the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but shortstop T.J. Erlacker made a brilliant stop to turn a double play to end the game.

Central managed just three hits on the day, but Jay Pierce and Richard Harrison allowed just six hits total. Pierce got the win. He went five-plus innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits, two walks and four strike outs.

Notre Dame 7, Eureka 3

John O'Rourke and Wes Steele each had two hits and an RBI apiece, and Josh Eftink homered as Notre Dame pounded out 10 hits at Notre Dame.

Mark Ostendorf went the distance, allowing three runs, two earned, on nine hits and a walk. He fanned seven.

Notre Dame scored two in the first, three in the second, one in the fourth and one in the seventh.

Eureka beat Mt. Vernon 11-1 in the third-place game.

* Oran lost both of its games Saturday. The Eagles lost 20-6 to Harrisburg and 10-6 to Owensville.

Against Harrisburg, Adam Friga went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer. Garrett Cook also homered as Oran managed just five hits. Freshman Trey Graviett suffered the loss in five innings. He gave up 17 runs, 11 earned, on 17 hits and six walks, while striking out three.

Against Owensville, Oran (8-8) had nine hits. The Eagles' 6-9 batters, all freshmen, had six hits. Joey Bickings was 2-for-3 and Nathan Seyer went 2-for-3 with a double. Ryne Wood suffered the loss in seven innings of work. He allowed 10 runs on 10 hits and three walks. He fanned two and hit two batters.