SIKESTON RALLIES PAST ND

After a five-run third inning put the Notre Dame Bulldogs up 6-1 against Sikeston Tuesday at Bulldog Field, things were looking very good for the Bulldogs.

That is to say, things were looking good for the Sikeston Bulldogs.

Sikeston rallied to score eight runs in the fourth inning to take the lead and go on to a 12-8 victory. Sikeston evened its record at 5-5 while Notre Dame dropped to 9-3.

"We just fell apart," Notre Dame coach Gregg Muench said. "Sikeston hit the ball hard but when you make seven errors you can't expect to win. I don't care if you're playing little league or in the major leagues."

Three of those seven errors came in the fourth when Sikeston went ahead 9-6. After getting a groundout to start the inning, Notre Dame starter Chris Canfield (2-3) actually struck out two of the next three batters he faced with pitches in the dirt. But both of those strikeout victims reached safely as one of the pitches got past Freshman catcher Scott Reinagel and another reached on a throwing error by Reinagel.

Sikeston ripped two two-run home runs in the inning over the short fence down the left-field line to take command. The first by Mitchell Sharp closed the score to 6-3. The last, by Sikeston starting pitcher Clay Hooper, was the fourth-straight hit in the inning and put Sikeston on top for good 8-6.

Sikeston added another unearned run on an RBI-single by Sharp to make the score 9-6. Sharp, who had been struggling at the plate entering the game, went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

"Mitchell has really had some trouble lately and it was good to see him break out and swing (the bat) like he can," Sikeston coach Kevin Self said. "He can really hit the baseball and he shows it every day in practice. He hit nothing but seeds all day."

Brent Self (3-for-5) and Robbie Sims (2-for-5) also had big days at the plate. Sikeston totaled 13 hits.

Nathan McGuire and Ben Gosche led Notre Dame's six-hit attack with two hits each. McGuire lined an RBI-double late in the game and his three-run home run to left in the third inning put Notre Dame on top 6-1.

Following McGuire's home run, Notre Dame loaded the bases with two out. But Sikeston reliever Brad Heacox got out of the jam with a strikeout and finished the rest of the game, allowing two runs in the seventh, to earn the win.

Notre Dame junior Ryan LeGrand relieved Canfield in the fourth with two runners on and got out of the inning with no further damage. LeGrand pitched 3-1/3 innings, allowing only three unearned runs in the sixth.