NOTRE DAME BEATS NEW MADRID; KELLY STILL PERFECT IN SOFTBALL

Notre Dame High's baseball team continued its exceptional season Wednesday as the Bulldogs rallied to knock off visiting New Madrid County Central 8-3.

The Bulldogs improved their record to 14-3 while the Eagles fell to 8-4.

"It's a good win for us," said Notre Dame coach Gregg Muench. "New Madrid has a good team. They were solid fundamentally and they put the ball in play."

Keith Hamm started on the mound and went three innings. He allowed four hits and one run. Ryan LeGrand earned the victory with two innings of work. He gave up one hit and one run. Josh Eftink hurled the final two frames, allowing no hits and one run.

Notre Dame actually trailed 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Bulldogs exploded for seven runs to break the game open. The big blow of the frame was a grand-slam home run by Dirk Dirnberger that made it 7-2.

Chris Canfield had two of Notre Dame's seven hits on the day.

In JV action Wednesday, Notre Dame improved to 9-4 with a 6-4 victory. Mark Ostendorf notched the win while Brian Obermann hurled three innings of relief for the save.

St. Vincent 7, St. Pius 6

St. Vincent improved to 12-7 by winning at home Wednesday.

Jonathan Wengert pitched all seven innings and allowed only two earned runs. He scattered nine hits.

Brian Meyer and Dusty Wengert both had two hits and three stolen bases for the Indians.

Dexter 4, Scott City 3 (8 inn.)

DEXTER -- Scott City's Tim Lowery pitched into extra innings but Dexter scored in the bottom of the eighth to come away with the home victory Wednesday.

The loss was Lowery's first of the year and dropped the Rams' record to 10-3.

SOFTBALL

Notre Dame 12, Oak Ridge 2

Jill Huber had an overpowering pitching performance for Notre Dame in leading the Lady Bulldogs to a six-inning home win Wednesday.

Huber struck out 16 while allowing only one hit as Notre Dame improved to 7-4.

Randi Senciboy and Ashley Koettker both connected for inside-the-park home runs. Senciboy had three RBIs.

Kelly 16, St. Vincent 0

BENTON -- Kelly's Lady Hawks moved one game closer to a perfect season by routing St. Vincent in four innings Wednesday.

The Lady Hawks improved to 13-0. They'll close out the spring campaign today by hosting Twin Rivers.

Brittany Lambert was the winning pitcher. Andee Heisserer led the offense with three hits and five RBIs while Audrey Burford had two hits and three RBIs.

"The girls have really played well this spring," said Kelly coach Rhonda Evans. "It would be great to finish the year undefeated."

TRACK

Chaffee Invitational

CHAFFEE -- Kelly finished second in both divisions during Wednesday's Chaffee Invitational.

In the seven-team boys meet, Portageville scored 134 points to edge Kelly (131). Chaffee was third (111).

On the girls six, New Madrid scored 177 points to prevail among six teams. Kelly (122) and Chaffee (75) followed.

Kelly's girls got two school-record performances from Amy Arteme as she won the 1,600 (5:52.27) and 3,200 (12:58.7). Scott City's Amy O'Brien also won two events, the high jump (4-10) and triple jump (30-6 1/2).

On the boys side, Kelly's Michael Riley was a double winner as he captured the 1,600 (1:59.64) and 3,200 (10:22.4). Kelly's Travis Schiwitz had one of the area's best times in winning the 800 (1:59.64).

Results are on `Scoreboard.'

BOYS GOLF

Cape Central 156, Dexter 164

Central's Tigers shot their second-lowest score of the season in winning Wednesday at the Cape Girardeau Country Club.

The Tigers, now 10-7 in dual matches, got scores of 38 from three players: Dane McLaird 38, Danny Groesbeck 38 and Mike Oslund 38. Kent Phillips had a 42.

Central will close out the regular season today by hosting New Madrid.

TENNIS

Lone Oak 8, Cape Central 1

LONE OAK, Ky. -- Central completed its regular-season tennis schedule Wednesday with an 8-1 loss Kentucky power Lone Oak.

Wade Russell and Nathan Skinner combined for the Tigers' only win with a 9-8 doubles victory.

Central completed the regular season with an 8-7 mark with the district meet coming up in St. Louis May 14.

The junior varsity also lost, ending its season at 8-6-1.

Singles

Ben Thompson (LO) def. Wade Russell 6-0, 6-1

Ryan Lichtenverg (LO) def. Jeremy Driskell 6-1, 6-0

Joey Sloan (LO) def. Vijay Dahiya 6-3, 6-2

Ben Brazzell (LO) def. Ben Roeger 6-1, 6-4

Pramit Patel (LO) def. Aaron Moore 6-1, 6-0

Matt Upshaw (LO) def. Drew Seib 6-3, 6-1

Doubles

Sloan-Brazzell (LO) def. Driskell-Moore 8-2

Patel-Upshaw (LO) def. Dahiya-Roeger 8-4

Russell-Nathan Skinner (C) def. Walter-Hopper 9-8

JV WINNERS -- Andy Ostrenga-Sam Fletcher