Southeast Missourian Athlete of the Week: Notre Dame's Adam Pope

Notre Dame pitcher Adam Pope gave up one earned run in the third inning but didn't give up a hit for the remainder of the game in the Bulldogs' 5-1 victory over host Westminster Christian Academy on Saturday in Town and Country, Missouri.

The game was a battle of the top two teams in the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4 rankings. The Wildcats eliminated Notre Dame from the postseason the past two seasons, but the second-ranked Bulldogs scored five runs in the first three innings to come away with the win.

"This is a huge win for us and our program to kind of get over the hump," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said.

Pope, a senior right-hander, finished with two strikeouts and one walk in six innings of work.

"He didn't have big strikeout numbers, but he kept the ball down, put it in play and trusted his defense behind him," Graviett said. "That's what it's going to take to beat teams like that. It's a full team effort."