Notre Dame softball team improves to 8-0 with shutout

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff collected five hits and held Notre Dame to one run over six innings before the Bulldogs pulled out the 4-0 win in softball action Tuesday.

The Mules remained positive about hanging with a program that won the Class 3 state title two seasons ago.

"We still have to look at the cup being half full and not half empty," Poplar Bluff coach Julie Gambill said. "We are focusing on our defense.

"We hit the ball, it just didn't fall in the holes."

The win moved the Bulldogs to 8-0 this season.

"This is one of the better offensive teams [we] have had," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "They had us to one run through six innings.

"We have so much speed, and it is usually a matter of time before we are going to take advantage of that. We kind of did that in the seventh."

Notre Dame padded its lead with three runs in the seventh. Jessica Menz reached on a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ashton Elfrink then drew a walk before Sadie Schaefer was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Brianne Sanders singled through the middle to make it 2-0, and Hali Rendleman added a single to make it 3-0 before Summer Burger flew out to left field, which scored Schaefer to make it 4-0.

Notre Dame finished with no errors on defense.

"That is the difference between us competing for a final four at the end of the year and not," Graviett said about his team's defense. "We really stepped up today and had some good plays and made some good decisions with the ball on the field."

Notre Dame jumped ahead at the start. Rendleman tripled to left field with one out and later scored on a single from Savanna Ayers in the first.

"We try to shoot for a run an inning, and I feel pretty comfortable no matter where we are at in the lineup," Graviett said. "It looked like that was going to be the one that was the difference early on."

Poplar Bluff had its best chance to score in the second inning. Olivia Miller singled to right field before Elizabeth singled on a hit to shortstop with two outs. Katie Bond recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

"She did a good job of getting the ball inside," Gambill said about Bond. "I felt like our girls were extending too quick or too late on her, and that generates some foul balls.

"When she was ahead in the count, she was able to do more with the ball."

Bond got the win by going all seven innings. She struck out four.

"She battled throughout the day," Graviett said. "I really didn't think I would get seven innings out of her, but she is a trooper and a senior and is battle-tested."