Perryville topples reigning state champ Notre Dame in softball

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Knock off an undefeated team.

Check.

Capture the No. 1 seed in districts.

Check.

Beat a team for the first time in a coach's memory.

Perryville's Aleshia Reiss comes off the bag to field a throw as Notre Dame's Sadie Schaefer pops up from her slide during the fifth inning of a game in Perryville on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. Schaefer was safe at second. Perryville defeated Notre Dame 4-3. (Kristin Eberts)

Check.

Perryville took down Notre Dame 4-3 in a softball thriller Wednesday afternoon.

It was the first time the Pirates (18-3) beat the Bulldogs (20-1) in Perryville coach Jeff Steffens' memory.

Perryville did it behind a stellar performance by ace Casey Hotop, big-time hitting by Morgan Baer and a defense that made the right plays at the right times.

"It's unbelievable," Hotop said of the win. "I can't even describe it. It's awesome. They [Notre Dame] are awesome competitors, and to beat somebody like that is awesome."

Perryville players celebrate their 4-3 victory over Notre Dame on Wednesday. (Kristin Eberts)

Hotop allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits. But it was her performance in clutch situations that carried the Pirates.

"She pitched very well today," Steffens said of Hotop. "She really bore down when they had runners in scoring position. She plays with a lot of those girls in the summer and you could tell she was a little more focused today."

Added Hotop: "I was working the corners a lot. I knew if I gave them opportunities they'd take them."

Notre Dame looked to have the advantage early.

Brianne Sanders led off the game with an infield single and came around to score on a sacrifice fly to put Notre Dame up 1-0.

Perryville's Morgan Baer doubles against Notre Dame during the fifth inning Wednesday in Perryville, Mo. (Kristin Eberts)

That lead held until the bottom of the fourth.

Baer led off with a double to right field and advanced to third on a throwing error. Another error made it runners on the corners, and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out for the Pirates.

They capitalized.

Courtney Hotop hit an RBI single up the middle and Casey Hotop followed with an RBI fielder's choice to make it 2-1, and the Pirates added more when Brittany Young scored on a passed ball.

"That was big to take the lead and make them play from behind," Steffens said. "It gave our girls a chance to relax."

Perryville's Aleshia Reiss comes off the bag to field a throw as Notre Dame's Sadie Schaefer pops up from her slide during the fifth inning of a game in Perryville on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. Schaefer was safe at second. Perryville defeated Notre Dame 4-3. (Kristin Eberts)

Added Bulldogs coach Jeff Graviett: "One thing we've been preaching is controlling the damage, limit them. A one-run inning turned into a three-run inning. When you have great hitters like Morgan Baer, you're going to get runs. You're not going to shut Perryville out. But we turned a one-run inning into a three-run inning, and that's the difference in the game."

The Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-2 after a leadoff error came around to score in the top of the fifth.

A playoff atmosphere permeated the sixth and seventh innings.

Notre Dame threatened to tie it or take the lead in the sixth when it put runners on second and third with two outs, but Hotop got Sadie Schaefer to line out to third to end the threat.

The Pirates tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth to make it 4-2.

Notre Dame made a final push in the seventh.

Sanders and Burger led off with back-to-back singles to left, and Savanna Ayers sacrificed them over to second and third to set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Jessica Menz hit an RBI fielder's choice to make it 4-3 with a runner on third and two outs.

After Brandi Glastetter walked to put runners on the corners, Hotop struck out Hali Rendleman looking to end the game and give Perryville a huge win heading into district play.

"The confidence is huge," Steffens said. "Last year in the district finals, we battled them and lost on a throwing error in the last inning. For our kids to win and the confidence to play with Notre Dame is big."

The two teams are on a collision course for the district finals next week.

"It looks like that could be the matchup," Graviett said. "It was last year and they could have beaten us last year. They are a solid team and are very good on the mound and at the plate. They played a great game and didn't make many mistakes. They were the better team today."

Notre Dame 100 010 1 -- 3 7 2

Perryville 000 301 x -- 4 7 2

WP -- Casey Hotop. LP -- Katie Bond. 2B -- Ashton Elfrink (ND), Ashley Hotop (P), Morgan Baer 2 (P), Courtney Hotop (P). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame: Brianne Sanders 2-2, Summer Burger 2-4, Bond 2-3; Perryville: Baer 2-3, Courtney Hotop 2-3. Records: Notre Dame 20-1, Perryville 18-3.