Notre Dame defense cuts down Central on the basepaths

Central had two early chances to deliver the opening blow.

Notre Dame wriggled out of those threats and never let its Cape Girardeau softball rival up for air the rest of the way.

Junior Nikki Peters fired a four-hit shutout, retiring 12 of the final 13 batters she faced, during the host Bulldogs' 3-0 win Thursday.

"It always feels good," Peters said of beating Central.

The Bulldogs improved to 10-1, while the Tigers fell to 7-4 in the contest that featured no errors and lasted only 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Notre Dame pitcher Nikki Peters throws to a Central batter during the seventh inning Thursday at Notre Dame Regional High School. The Bulldogs won 3-0. (Adam Vogler)

"That's what happens when both teams throw strikes and make plays," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said about the game's fast pace. "That was a great all-around softball game. Cape has a solid team."

After both sides went down in order in the first inning, Central put runners on second and third with one out in the second inning.

Tigers sophomore left fielder Megan Smith then lined out to senior second baseman Conner Elfrink for the second out.

A couple of feet either way and the Tigers probably would have grabbed a quick 2-0 lead.

"We had a few line drives right at people," Central coach Amy Blattel said.

Central’s Maddie Daum runs for third base during the third inning of the Tigers’ 3-0 loss to Notre Dame on Thursday. Daum was thrown out at home during the play.

Notre Dame then turned an unusual double play to end another Central threat in the third inning.

Freshman right fielder Sydney Tollison led off with a double and junior center fielder Maddie Daum bunted for a hit as Tollison went to third.

Sophomore catcher Shiloh Kirn made a diving catch of junior second baseman Amanda Webb's bunted pop foul. With Kirn sprawled on the dirt after the grab, Daum tagged up and advanced to second.

Then came perhaps the game's pivotal play.

Senior shortstop Kadie Orenstein bounced to Peters, and Tollison initially broke for home. Peters faked a throw to third as Tollison took off for the plate and then fired to Kirn, who applied the tag for the second out.

By this time Orenstein was headed for second. Kirn threw there as Daum, who had taken third, raced for home.

Elfrink received Kirn's throw to second and immediately fired home, where Kirn was ruled to have swiped Daum with a tag just before she reached the plate to complete the rare 1-2-4-2 double play.

"It was a game-changer," Peters said. "It turned the momentum our way."

Added Kirn: "I didn't see it coming at all."

Graviett credited Central for applying pressure and the Bulldogs' defense for coming through.

"It's a lot of pressure on the defense. You have to make a lot of good throws," Graviett said. "Two tag plays at the plate with a sophomore catcher. She [Kirn] is very athletic."

Said Blattel: "We were a little over-aggressive on the bases. We've got to be a little smarter on the bases."

Notre Dame carried the momentum from that defensive gem to the plate in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs on three hits.

Senior first baseman Madison Buelow led off with a single for the Bulldogs' first baserunner.

Senior center fielder Kayce Landewee sacrificed Buelow to second and Kirn delivered an RBI single.

Kirn took second on the throw home and junior pinch-hitter Carson Freeman followed with an RBI single.

The Bulldogs made it 3-0 in the fifth inning. Kirn led off with a double, sophomore left fielder Christina Scherer sacrificed and Freeman, who stayed in the game and played right field, got her second RBI single.

"We played good. We work as a team," Kirn said.

Those three runs were more than enough for Peters, who finished strong.

Central's only baserunner after junior catcher Sarah Kitchen's leadoff single in the fourth inning was Smith's two-out walk in the seventh.

"All year long she's been phenomenal," Graviett said about Peters, the Bulldogs' ace. "She's good at moving in and out, exploiting their weaknesses."

Peters struck out two -- both in the sixth inning -- and walked one.

"I did pretty good," she said. "I think I started hitting my spots more [over the last few innings]."

Despite coming up short, Blattel found little to be unhappy about.

"It was a good game. Both teams played well. I'm not disappointed," she said. "We just didn't have the big hit with runners on. When you have runners on base, in tight games against good competition, you have to capitalize."

Freeman and Kirn both went 2 for 2. Senior third baseman Jessica Westrich also had two of Notre Dame's seven hits.

Kitchen led Central with two hits.

Junior Maggie Groshong was the losing pitcher. She allowed six hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. She struck out two and walked one.

"She did a good job. She kept us off balance," Graviett said.

Orenstein, Central's ace, moved from shortstop to the circle and allowed one hit over the final 1 2/3 innings.

Central 000 000 0 -- 0 4 0

Notre Dame 002 010 x -- 3 7 0

WP -- Nikki Peters. LP -- Maggie Groshong. Leading hitters -- Central, Sarah Kitchen 2-3; Sydney Tollison 2B. Notre Dame: Carson Freeman 2-2, 2 RBIs; Shiloh Kirn 2-2, 2B; Jessica Westrich 2-3. Records -- Central 7-4, Notre Dame 10-1.