NOTRE DAME WALKS SWIFTLY INTO 2A FINAL FOUR

PIEDMONT -- Notre Dame High's baseball team walked right over Clearwater and into the Class 2A Final Four.

The Bulldogs used nine walks -- including seven in one inning -- to trample over host Clearwater 14-4 in five innings Monday during the 2A quarterfinals.

Notre Dame will take on Kansas City St. Pius X at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Simmons Field in Columbia in the state semifinals.

In a game that was tight for the first two innings, Notre Dame scored 10 runs and sent 15 batters to the plate in the third. Notre Dame had just four hits in the inning but took advantage of the seven walks and two errors.

"We didn't hit the ball well that inning," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett. "But we got a couple two-strike hits where we put the ball in play and they made a couple of errors."

Josh Eftink led off the third with a walk, followed by consecutive singles by Wes Steele and Matt Bollinger.

After Bollinger was caught stealing, Scott Reinagel, Adam Seyer, Timmy Wencewicz and Todd Friend all walked in succession.

John O'Rourke then reached on an error, Tommy Wencewicz walked and Eftink singled. Steele singled for the second time in the inning, then Bollinger reached on a fielder's choice. Reinagel hit a sacrifice fly and Seyer walked before Timmy Wencewicz finally recorded the last out of the inning.

Though the third inning was the decisive one, the biggest hit of the game no doubt came in the second. With Clearwater ahead 2-1, Reinagel reached on an error and Adam Seyer walked, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Timmy Wencewicz.

Then came up Friend, Notre Dame's No. 9 hitter.

On an 0-1 pitch, Friend launched a three-run homer far over the left-field fence in left to put the Bulldogs up 4-2.

"After the first inning, we handed them two runs and we were down a bit," said Graviett. "Then Todd comes up there and gives us the lead with one swing of the bat. It seems like he comes through every day for us. He's the best No. 9 hitter in the state of Missouri, I'd say. He's so comfortable down there, you hate to take him out of it."

"I just wanted to go out there and kind of get things started again," said Friend, who has said he likes hitting ninth because pitchers often take him for granted. "He was mainly throwing fastballs and I was looking for one. He got it inside and I just turned on it."

"They're loaded up and down this lineup and they're banking on this season and everybody knows that," said Clearwater coach Tim Green. "I mean, how many teams have a No. 9 hitter who can jack one like that. It makes it tough."

Clearwater jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Nathan Kinnard reached on an error, Jamie McAlister singled and freshman cleanup hitter Tyler Henson doubled home both runners.

Notre Dame countered in the bottom of the first when O'Rourke walked and later scored all the way from second on a fielder's choice.

After Friend's home run, Clearwater tied the game in the top of the third on a two-run double by Tom Schultz. Both runners that scored walked to reach base.

Notre Dame's Mark Ostendorf picked up the win though he struggled somewhat with his control. Ostendorf gave up just three hits over five innings and walked three while striking out five. Ostendorf gave up four runs, three of which were earned.

Henson suffered the loss for Clearwater. In 2 1/3 innings, he allowed seven runs, six earned, on four hits and six walks. He struck out one.