Notre Dame pitching stymies Dexter bats in C4D1 semis

DEXTER – The baseball season can be a learning experience and in 27 seasons of guiding the Notre Dame High School baseball program, veteran Bulldog coach Jeff Graviett has learned to have – some degree of – patience.

That trait has proven to be a virtue this spring, as Graviett had to wait for his team’s pitching to reach its potential. However, that aspect of play is finally reaching its zenith at just the right time.

Notre Dame limited Dexter to a mere four hits and one run in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 semifinal on Monday at East Park, as the Bulldogs won 3-1 and advanced to the championship game.

“Going into the year,” Graviett said, “I thought pitching was going to be the strength of our team.”

It is now but wasn’t early on.

In five of the Bulldogs’ initial eight games, Notre Dame allowed at least nine runs by the opposition. However, in five of Notre Dame’s last seven games, opponents have been limited to just one run in four of those games and three runs in another.

“We came out with some ugly 11-9 or 12-10 games early,” Graviett said. “Our offense probably overachieved some early. But our pitching has settled down here lately and there have been a lot of tight games.”

Notre Dame senior pitcher Will Morgan got a quick two outs on the Bearcats (11-15) to open the game, but Dexter standout hitter Beau Carrier connected for a double and was driven in by senior Cole Nichols for a quick 1-0 lead.

“I thought our gameplan was good,” Dexter coach Steve Edwards said. “We had a good opportunity (to win) there.”

The Bearcats got sloppy in the second inning, as Notre Dame junior Brycen Clark reached on a dropped third strike and then stole second base.

Morgan reached on a Dexter error after hitting an infield grounder, and Clark came home to tie the game.

“It’s been a struggle offensively for us all year,” Graviett said, “in trying to find ways to score. We were able to get a few stolen bases today and one or two timely hits.”

Bulldog freshman TJ Bolen drew a one-out walk, which was followed by sophomore Brett Dohogne reaching on another Bearcat misplay, which loaded the bases.

With two outs, Bearcat pitcher Kaeden Kennedy hit Notre Dame sophomore Logan Landewee, which put the Bulldogs ahead 2-1 and gave them all of the offense that they would need.

“It’s escape at this point,” Graviett said. “If you make any kind of (postseason) run, you always get one ugly win, and hopefully this is our ugly one.”

Kennedy contained Notre Dame (13-10-1) until the fifth inning.

The senior thrower worked 4 1/3 innings and gave up just two hits and one earned run. He struck out five Bulldog hitters and walked just one.

“He was mixing it up,” Graviett said of Kennedy. “I think a changeup was in there and was keeping us off-balance. He had a cutter, a slider away, and we were trying to pull off.

“It has been a struggle all year, offensively.”

Notre Dame senior Cole Lemons hit a double in the fifth inning and eventually came home courtesy of a Jack Evans single for the final margin.

Lemons had one hit and a run scored while Clark (one hit, one run), Evans (one hit, one RBI), Bolen (one walk), Dohogne (one hit), and Reid Morgan (one hit) also contributed.

Morgan threw four innings and allowed four hits and a lone earned run. He struck out six and walked three in earning the win.

Evans was dominant over the final three innings in relief.

He didn’t allow a hit or a run, walked just one Bearcat batter, and struck out three.

Carrier had two hits and a run to lead Dexter while Kennedy (one hit), Ryan Young (one walk), Nichols (one hit, one RBI), Nolan Alford (one walk), and Jackson Howard (two walks) were also productive.

Brock Wyman closed the final 1 2/3 innings for the Bearcats. He didn’t allow any runs, gave up three hits and no walks while striking out one.

“We left a lot of guys on bases (eight),” Edwards said. “We had a lot of base runners and just couldn’t get that one run across to get a lead or a tie and gain some momentum.”

Notre Dame will face the winner of Fredericktown and Kennett on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at East Park in Dexter.