SIKESTON FLATTENS NOTRE DAME 13-6

Notre Dame didn't play like the top-ranked team in Class 2A on Tuesday.

In fact, it didn't even play like the top-ranked team in the SEMO Conference.

Notre Dame played its worst game of the season and Sikeston, which was picked by the SEMO Conference coaches to finish second in the league, stuck ND with a 13-6 loss at Notre Dame in a battle of Bulldogs.

Though neither team played a real sharp game -- both teams had three errors -- Notre Dame looked uncharacteristically blunt in every aspect of the game.

"We came out flat like we did against Jackson the other day," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett, who saw his team drop to 4-1. "I don't know what it is."

To prove Graviett's point, Notre Dame pitchers Scott and Josh Eftink walked seven batters. Two bloopers fell in that Graviett felt should've been caught in the second inning. Notre Dame didn't handle a dropped third strike situation well and allowed a run to score. One Notre Dame runner was picked off and eight Notre Dame batters struck out. And that's not even counting the three plays that were ruled errors.

The second frame proved to be the inning of doom for Notre Dame.

Sikeston (5-0), which had a runner reach second base in every inning, strung together six consecutive hits in the top of the second -- only one of which went for extra bases -- and scored six runs to take a 7-0 lead.

Notre Dame chipped away at Sikeston's lead, cutting its deficit to 9-5 in the fourth, but Sikeston was in clear control throughout.

Sikeston got a huge day from first baseman Billy Puckett who went 5-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored and one RBI. Kent Chappell, Sikeston's No. 9 hitter had three hits and Heath Self had two.

Sikeston repeatedly took both Eftinks to the opposite field and Sikeston coach Kevin Self thought that was the key to the game.

"With the way they pitch, we had to be able to take the ball the other way and we did," said Self. "Against Cape Central we tried to pull the ball and we were popping things up. We had a lot more confidence at the plate today. (Going to right) to me was the biggest thing."

Notre Dame managed seven hits, including two by John O'Rourke and two by Wes Steele.

Notre Dame got two runs in the second on a two-run single by Matt Bollinger. It got two more runs in the third on an RBI single by O'Rourke and an error. In the fourth, Notre Dame scored an unearned run when Tommy Wencewicz reached on an error and scored on a RBI groundout off the bat of O'Rourke.

In the seventh, Notre Dame added its last run when Bollinger drew a bases-loaded walk.

Rickey Fodge threw a nice game for Sikeston, though he pitched in and out of trouble most of the game.

Fodge went six-plus innings and gave up six runs, four of which were earned. He struck out seven, but had some trouble with his control, walking five. Four of the batters who reached on walks scored.

For Notre Dame, sophomore Scott Eftink got the loss. He went two-plus innings and gave up eight runs on seven hits and two walks.

Josh Eftink came on in relief and pitched the rest of the game, but didn't have his best stuff. He gave up five runs on seven hits and five walks.

Of the seven Sikeston batters who walked, four scored.

Despite the loss, Notre Dame can take solace in two things. First, Thursday's loss didn't count against its conference record. And second, Notre Dame will get a rematch Saturday around 11 a.m.

Notre Dame is holding a four-team tournament with Sikeston, Jackson and Chaffee with Jackson facing Chaffee at 9 a.m.