Notre Dame softball earns walk-off win over Kelly

Notre Dame catcher Kristen Barwick reaches to tag Kelly base runner Lilly Jones in the third inning Thursday at Notre Dame Regional High School. The Bulldogs defeated the Hawks 2-1 on a walk-off RBI single.

BEN MATTHEWS

Notre Dame softball pitcher Allison Lynch celebrated Senior Day on Thursday with another solid performance.

The senior hurler pitched seven innings of one-run ball to earn the complete-game win as the Bulldogs beat SEMO Conference foe Kelly 2-1 on a walk-off single at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Halle Heuring drove in both runs for the Bulldogs, including the game-winning single that scored Connor Overfield from second.

It was Lynch and the defense that put the Bulldogs in position to win, though.

"Really pitching and defense kept us in the game," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "We've struggled against (Kelly's Alyssa) Tidwell the last couple years. Our bats got a little hot last year, but she's done a good job of controlling us."

Tidwell surrendered two runs on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. Lynch matched her, scattering seven hits and one walks while striking out three.

It was Lynch's second consecutive complete-game win after she limited David H. Hickman to two runs this past Saturday.

"Two good outings in a row out of her," Graviett said. "She had the start against Columbia Hickman last week, which is a very good Class 4 school. She's putting the ball in play and letting her defense work."

It was also Notre Dame's fifth straight victory as it readies for next week's Class 3 District 1 Tournament. The win avenged an early-season loss to the Hawks (13-7, 2-2 conference). Along with the win, Graviett believes these types of close contests against quality opponents will help prepare the Bulldogs (15-5, 4-1) for the postseason.

"That's a big reason why Kelly is on our schedule late in the year," Graviett said. "You know you're going to get those type of games. You're going to have play good defense and get bunts down and move runners over."

Notre Dame took the lead in the second. Caroline Lochmann led off the inning with a double and scored on a Heuring single.

Kelly had a runner on third with one out an inning later, but Notre Dame executed an unusual double play, throwing out the runner at first and home.

Kelly Ivy tied it in the fifth with an RBI double that scored Lilly Jones, who was 2-for-4 with a double.

With the help of her defense, Lynch shut down the Hawks the rest of the way.

Overfield then drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on Heuring's second run-scoring single of the day.

Notre Dame is back in action today with two games. First, the Bulldogs face Cape Central at 3:30 p.m., then at 6 p.m. they host St. Francis Borgia. The Bulldogs defeated St. Francis Borgia 15-9 last year in a Class 3 quarterfinal.

Kelly wraps up the regular season Monday with a home game against Jackson.

WP -- Allison Lynch. LP -- Alyssa Tidwell. 2B -- Lilly Jones (K), Kelly Ivy (K), Kristen Barwick (ND), Caroline Lochmann (ND). Multiple hits -- Kelly: Jones 2-4. Notre Dame: Halle Heuring 2-3.