Notre Dame softball team upends Lancers in six innings, advances to final four

The Notre Dame softball team isn't known for its power, but that shouldn't undermine what its offense is capable of doing.

The Bulldogs do the little things right, and they all get involved.

"I don't know how I can point out one person in particular," junior left fielder Abby Rollet said. "Everyone works together so well. If one person's down, the whole team picks them up. ... It's an amazing team."

Rollet finished 3 for 4 and was a triple shy of hitting the cycle, and Notre Dame combined for 18 hits in a 13-3, six-inning win over Lutheran South, sending the Bulldogs to the Class 3 final four for the first time since 2010.

"We're all so excited," said sophomore shortstop Madison Landeros, who finished 3 for 5 with four RBIs. "We just try not to take anything for granted, one game at a time. I know we're going to come out and play our hardest at state."

Notre Dame's Madison Landeros heads to third after hitting a triple in the second inning against Lutheran South in a Class 3 quarterfinal Saturday, October 17, 2015, at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Trent Singer)

Lutheran South (16-12) took an early 1-0 lead when Lilah Halveland blasted a two-out solo home run over the center-field fence, but Notre Dame (26-3) reclaimed the lead for good in the bottom of the frame.

The Bulldogs started the inning with four straight singles, and a flurry of wild pitches allowed Notre Dame to plate all four runners. Morgan Duschell reached on a one-out walk, Christina Scherer followed with a single and Landeros delivered a two-run triple to right-center field to give the Bulldogs a 7-1 lead after two innings.

The inning was an example of what has been the cornerstone of Notre Dame's offensive success this season. The Bulldogs kept runners on base all day, and coach Jeff Graviett was pleased with the way his team worked the bases.

"You can't simulate it," Graviett said about his team's baserunning. "We do it somewhat in practice, and I think that's one reason we're successful against most slap hitters. ... It puts a lot of pressure on those teams on where to go with the ball. They've got to make quick decisions, and it's just been a big thing for us."

An RBI double by Emily Frankenreiter and an RBI single by Lauren Beier trimmed the Bulldogs' lead to 7-3 in the top of the third, but Notre Dame countered in the bottom of the fourth when Rollet led off with a solo home run to center field.

"She's slowly earned her way into the lineup, and she got some big hits," Graviett said about Rollet, who transferred from St. Vincent and worked her way up from the Bulldogs' JV team. "She adds a little more pop for us in that part of the order. ... She was a big lift today."

Notre Dame's Haylie Santos delivers a pitch in the first inning against Lutheran South in a Class 3 quarterfinal Saturday, October 17, 2015, at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Trent Singer)

Notre Dame ended the game in the sixth, beginning with a leadoff double by Rollet. Four of the next five batters reached base before Landeros stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on second and third. Landeros lined a ball to the right-field fence, scoring both runners and sending the Bulldogs into a celebration near the home dugout.

"Coach Ray [Reinagal] put a lot of pressure on me, asking me to get a base hit," Landeros said about her final at-bat. "Honestly, if it wasn't for the two girls that got on before me, it would have never happened."

Landeros was one of seven Bulldogs who recorded multiple hits. Her second-inning triple also tied the season-high school record, according to Graviett.

"She's just a girl who knows the plate so well," Graviett said about Landeros. "She doesn't chase out of the zone. She usually gets a good pitch and just hits it hard. For a sophomore, she's very mature at the plate."

Maddie Urhahn finished 3 for 3 for Notre Dame while Lindsey Elfrink (2 for 3), Anne Ziegler (2 for 3), Payton Friga (2 for 4) and Scherer (2 for 4) each had multiple hits.

Haylie Santos held Lutheran South scoreless over the final three innings to pick up the win in the circle. She scattered 10 hits, allowed three runs -- all earned -- and had three strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work.

"Haylie did a great job really keeping them in there," Graviett said. "... The thing I challenged her with was to control their 5-9 hitters. That's what we were talking about in there."

Notre Dame's Madison Landeros, left, congratulates Abby Rollet after Rollet hit a solo home run in the fourth inning against Lutheran South in a Class 3 quarterfinal Saturday, October 17, 2015, at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Trent Singer)

Frankenreiter was 3 for 3 at the plate while Abby George finished 3 for 4, accounting for six of the Lancers' 10 hits.

Beier took the pitching loss in two innings of work. She had one strikeout and two walks while allowing nine hits and seven runs -- six earned. Beier was relieved in the third inning by Halveland, who struck out three batters, walked one and gave up six runs -- five earned -- in four innings of work.

Notre Dame begins its final four run next weekend against Lafayette in Springfield, Missouri. The Fighting Irish defeated Harrisonville 3-0 Saturday to book their trip.

"As good as we can be offensively, we're going to have a chance to go up there and compete," Graviett said. "Just like we've done all year long, we'll go up there with the expectations to be in that championship game on Saturday."

Lutheran South 012 000 -- 3 10 3

Notre Dame 070 105 -- 13 16 0

WP -- Haylie Santos. LP -- Lauren Beier. 2B -- Emily Frankenreiter (LS), Abby Rollet (ND). 3B -- Madison Landeros (ND). HR -- Lilah Halveland (LS), Rollet (ND). Multiple hits -- Lutheran South: Frankenreiter 3-3, Abby George 3-4; Notre Dame: Maddie Urhahn 3-3, Rollet 3-4, Landeros 3-5, Lindsey Elfrink 2-3, Anne Ziegler 2-3, Christina Scherer 2-4, Payton Friga 2-4.