CEDAR HILL, Mo. – Notre Dame, playing in Class 5 this year for the first time, won the C5D1 girls softball championship Friday by defeating rival Jackson, 6-3, at Northwest High School.
The Bulldogs (25-2) bunched three runs in the first inning and three more in the third to account for all their scoring in a windy, 90-minute game played in northern Jefferson County.
With a 6-0 deficit going into the seventh, Jackson (20-5) broke out for three runs against Notre Dame senior hurler Hailey Kutz, who went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out two.
Bulldogs coach Jeff Graviett insisted his star pitcher, the 2018 Southeast Missourian Softball Player of the Year, was not tiring in the final frame.
“No, I just think she was excited as she saw the end (of the game) nearing,” said Graviett, whose Notre Dame squad will return to the diamond Thursday against either Marquette or Eureka as the Bulldogs’ postseason continues.
Jackson played Notre Dame four times this season, losing each time, by scores of 1-0, 1-0, 8-3 and 6-3.
Indians skipper Shawn Wilding was able to see a silver lining.
“Tonight was the first time in 21 innings we were able to put up three runs against Kutz,” said Wilding, whose Indians pounded Oakville Thursday to reach the district final.
“The future is bright for Jackson softball,” Wilding opined, noting the team will lose four players to graduation: pitcher Katelyn Carter, catcher Ainsley Watson and outfielders Alli Gartman and Maya Owens.
Sophomore Hailey Burnett was the unofficial star for the victors, going 2-for-3 with a first-inning double and two runs scored.
The 5-foot-11 Burnett, Notre Dame’s tallest player, said she felt confident facing the Indians’ Karli Johnson, who gave up six runs on 11 hits while recording three strikeouts.
Burnett wasn’t so sure about the playing conditions.
“The wind made it difficult to judge fly balls – and they did carry a bit,” said Burnett, who added next week’s sectional game will be a challenge for the team.
“It’ll be tough against another large school like Jackson because their rosters have more girls,” she said.
“There are over 100 schools in Class 5 and I guarantee (Notre Dame) is the smallest,” said Graviett, whose Bulldogs were moved up two classes from Class 3 this season by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).
“This is unchartered territory for us in Class 5,” he added, “but we are one of eight teams still standing.
“I’m shocked because of our size that we got the top seed in the (district) tournament,” said Graviett, who has led the girls softball program at Notre Dame for over a decade, winning a state title in 2009.
There were no long balls in the contest but three Bulldogs belted multiple hits – the aforementioned Burnett, senior center fielder Caroline Lochmann went 3-for-4 with a run scored, and right fielder Ashley Carrow was 2-for-3 with a double, also scoring a run.
Jackson’s Miranda Carnell, a junior shortstop, was the only Indian with multiple hits, going 3-for-4.
Scoring
Jackson 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 – 3 8 0
Notre Dame 3 0 3 0 0 0 x – 6 11 2
Statistics are unofficial.
WP: Kutz. LP: Johnson. 2B: (ND) Kadi Dohogne, Hailey Burnett, Ashley Carrow. (J) Rileigh Parker. HBP (by Kutz): Ainsley Watson, Brandi Smythe. Time: 1:31. Conditions: Partly sunny, windy.
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