Notre Dame blanks Poplar Bluff in SEMO Conference quarterfinal

Notre Dame's pitching bailed out an anemic offense Saturday in the quarterfinals of the SEMO Conference baseball tournament.

Kirk Boeller and Jeremy Brinkmeyer combined for a three-hit shutout, and Notre Dame scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to edge visiting Poplar Bluff 1-0.

Boeller allowed two hits in six innings, and Brinkmeyer pitched out of a first and second no-out situation in the seventh to pick up the win for the fourth-seeded Bulldogs (8-6).

After Notre Dame failed on a squeeze attempt in the sixth, Shane Menz led off the seventh with a double and Dane Balsmann drove him in with a game-winning single.

Notre Dame will play top-seeded Jackson at 3 p.m. Monday at Capaha Field.

Tigers advance

Central (10-9) picked up a 4-2 victory against Dexter in another quarterfial game to advance to Monday's semfinals.

Lance Young pitched six innings of two-hit ball for the win. Young struck out seven and pitched around five walks. Brad LaBruyere pitched the seventh for his second save.

Brandon Cooper and Steve Miinch had two hits apiece for Central.

Sikeston defeated New Madrid County Central 10-0 in the other quarterfinal. No. 3 Central will face No. 2 Sikeston at 5 p.m.

Chaffee lost in a play-in game to NMCC 8-3.

NOTRE DAME 1, POPLAR BLUFF 0

Poplar Bluff 000 000 0 -- 0 3 1

Notre Dame 000 000 1 -- 1 3 0

WP -- Jeremy Brinkmeyer, 5-0. LP -- Paddy. 2B --Shane Menz (N), Bagby (P). Records -- Notre Dame 8-6.

CENTRAL 4, DEXTER 2

Dexter 100 010 0 -- 2 2 0

Central 001 201 X -- 4 8 0

WP -- Lance Young, 2-2. LP -- Lambert. Multiple hits -- Central, Brandon Cooper 2-3; Steve Miinch 2-3. Records -- Central 10-9.