ND's MCGUIRE NO-HITS KELLY

Notre Dame High senior pitcher Nathan McGuire didn't think about it until catcher Ben Gosche told him in the sixth inning.

Bulldog coach Gregg Muench didn't realize it until after the game was over.

Nevertheless, when McGuire struck out Kelly's Justin Vetter for the final out of the Bulldogs' 9-0 home win Monday, it completed the Notre Dame hurler's first career high school no-hitter.

McGuire pumped his fist on the final strikeout as his teammates rushed to the mound to congratulate him. Although most of the fans in attendance recognized McGuire's feat, Muench still had to be told following the game.

"I didn't even realize it was a no-hitter until (the team) told me after the game," said Muench. "I keep track of walks and let everything else take care of itself.

McGuire took care of most everything on the mound, striking out 12 Hawk batters and allowing no walks in his seven innings of work. Only two Kelly batters reached safely, thwarting a perfect game for McGuire. Both reached on errors in the infield.

Although McGuire just missed perfection on the mound, teammates Gosche and freshman third baseman Josh Eftink were perfect at the plate. Gosche went 2-for-2 with a towering three-run home run over the 350-foot sign in left-center field to put the Bulldogs up 4-0 in the fourth.

Eftink, who has had multiple hit games in each of his first three varsity high school games, went 3-for-3 with a walk and scored three runs.

Notre Dame improved to 3-0 with the win while Kelly fell to 0-2.

Although the two errors ruined pitching perfection, McGuire got a few outstanding defensive plays from his teammates when it counted.

"I credit my defense for (the no-hitter)," said McGuire. "They did a great job."

A diving catch by center fielder Trent Summers in the first inning and a tough over-the-shoulder grab of a pop-up by second baseman Kyle Elfrink in the fourth not only saved the no-hitter, but also preserved the shutout.

With one out and a runner on first following an error in the first inning, Kelly's Denver Stuckey ripped a sinking line-drive to center field. Summers came in on the play hard and made a lunging catch just before it touched the outfield grass.

Stuckey reached again with one out in the fourth on an error. Stuckey moved to third following a stolen base and a throwing error, and was still there with two outs and Vetter at the plate.

The Hawk shortstop lofted a looping pop-up to shallow right field that was slicing toward the line. Elfrink got a good jump on the ball at second base and chased it down to make a tough catch over his shoulder for the final out.

"He (Elfrink) has a knack for catching fly balls like that," Muench said. "Seriously, we practice that (catch) a little bit and he always catches them. I was glad to see our defense stiffen up a little bit."

Kelly never threatened the no-hitter following Elfrink's play in the fourth. McGuire stayed consistent throughout the game, striking out five of the final nine batters he faced.

"It was a combination of my curveball and fastball," McGuire said of his success on the mound. "I had all my pitches (working)."

With the Bulldogs leading 5-0, Kelly starting pitcher Stuckey began to tire. McGuire ripped a one-out triple over the center fielder's head to begin the rally.

Stuckey seemed to lose his control following McGuire's hit, walking four consecutive batters and allowing two runs to score on wild pitches to extend Notre Dames's lead to 7-0.

Brian Klipfel relieved Stuckey in the sixth inning and was rudely greeted by Bulldog leadoff batter Chris Canfield, who ripped a inning-opening home run to left field.

Kelly hosts Oak Ridge today while Notre Dame visits Chaffee Wednesday.