Notre Dame softball team scores two in bottom of seventh to escape vs. Central

With their backs to the wall, the Notre Dame softball team had to dig deep.

The Bulldogs dug just deep enough.

Brandi Glastetter hit a two-out walk-off RBI double to cap a frantic finish as the Bulldogs knocked off crosstown rival Central 6-5 on Thursday afternoon.

"I knew that I had to pull through for the team," Glastetter said. "When we get down, we know we never give up and we come back and pull through."

Central had the undefeated Bulldogs down 5-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning before Notre Dame rallied.

Notre Dame players cheer on batter Hali Rendleman during the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday. (Kristin Eberts)

The Tigers' bats started hot.

"Our team has a much different attitude this year," Central coach Amy Blattel said. "They knew coming in all we have to do is play our style of ball, and I think they did that. We don't look at another team's record and we don't look at what they've done in the past because the only thing that matters is what we do today against them."

Central banged out 14 hits and sprayed the ball all over the field.

"We work on it every single day in practice," Blattel said. "This is what we've been talking about all year long. Most games we come out and swing the bat. There have been a couple games where we have not come out aggressively, but I thought they did a really good job of coming out today and getting on it."

It appeared the Tigers (5-5) were on their way to a stunning upset on the Bulldogs' home field.

Central's Kadie Orenstein delivers during the first inning Thursday.

Notre Dame struck first with a run in the second, but Central responded with an RBI double by Kadie Orenstein, the Tigers' ace, and an RBI single by Chelsea Willett in the third.

Orenstein went 4 for 4 with two singles, a double and a triple while hurling all seven innings for Central.

"She did a great job pitching today, and her defense played well behind her today," Blattel said. "Offensively, she's very capable of hitting the ball, and she came out today and was aggressive and picked the pitches she wanted. She stepped up today and really did a great job."

Notre Dame tied it at 2-2 in the third, but Central took a 5-2 lead thanks to a run in the fourth and two in the fifth.

"They played a tremendous game," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "They did a great job. They have a nice ballclub. They hit the ball extremely well and made plays when they had to. They're a very solid ballclub."

An unlikely player ignited the Bulldogs' rally in the sixth.

Katie Bond, the Bulldogs' ace, was not dominant on the mound but made up for it with her bat.

The right-hander blasted a two-out, two-run home run to cut the lead to 5-4.

"She didn't do it with the arm, but she helped us out with the bats," Graviett said. "She sat out there and battled. They hit the ball well and had a few bloop hits, I think, that was frustrating her today. Overall they came in and swung the bats. But she's our horse and we're going to lean on her, so she had to go out and battle through."

Bond shut down the Tigers in the seventh to set the stage for the Bulldogs' offense.

Speedy leadoff hitter Brianne Sanders led off with a single and advanced to third on a stolen base and throwing error.

Hali Rendleman, the No. 2 hitter, drove her in with a single to tie the score, and Summer Burger followed with a single to make it first and second with no outs.

Orenstein coaxed two pop ups from the Bulldogs' Nos. 4 and 5 hitters before Glastetter lined the game-winner into the left-center field gap.

It capped a 3-for-4 performance, including two doubles, by Glastetter.

"She's been swinging the bat real well lately," Graviett said. "So she's the person you want up in that situation there toward the end."

Added Glastetter: "We kind of got nervous, not going to lie. But we knew we could pull through because we've done it before."

It was a sigh of relief for Notre Dame as it maintained its perfect record.

"That shows the character of the club," Graviett said. "I'm glad to see that. We haven't been in a lot of those situations, obviously, this year. The way things were going, and the way Cape Central was hitting the ball and to get down like that, these girls battling back was a huge step for us."

Central 002 012 0 -- 5 14 3

Notre Dame 011 002 2 -- 6 13 1

WP -- Katie Bond. LP -- Kadie Orenstein. HR -- Bond (ND). 3B -- Orenstein (C) Hali Rendleman (ND). 2B -- Orenstein (C), Lexi Smith (C), Brandi Glastetter 2 (ND). Multiple hits -- Central: Orenstein 4-4, Smith 3-3, Chelsea Willett 2-4, Brooke Baugher 2-4; Notre Dame: Brianne Sanders 2-4, Rendleman 3-4, Summer Burger 2-4, Glastetter 3-4. Records: Central 5-5, Notre Dame 10-0.