Notre Dame softball team downs Cape Central, claims 13th straight win

The Notre Dame softball team doesn't have a shutdown pitcher in the circle, nor does it have a lineup capable of producing a multitude of extra-base hits.

But the Bulldogs have won 13 consecutive games with a disciplined approach.

Ellie Retz struck out two batters and walked none in Notre Dame's 6-0 home win Tuesday over Cape Central, and a stifling defense contributed to 19 outs in the Bulldogs' four-hit victory.

"We probably still demand more out of them," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said about his team's defense. "They've been phenomenal all year, especially with Ellie on the mound. She comes with three pitches, and the ball's usually in play. So they're on their toes ready to go.

"They've really just been playing well lately, and a lot of that has to do with her quickness on the mound and how she works."

Notre Dame (18-1) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Tigers pitcher Caleigh Huffman walked the first two batters she faced. Lily Dohogne delivered a one-out RBI single to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.

Dohogne extended Notre Dame's lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third, scoring Christina Scherer on a base hit. Dohogne finished 3 for 3, including her team's only extra-base hit, a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth.

Notre Dame's Christina Scherer runs to first base after bunting against Cape Central during the third inning Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015 at Notre Dame Regional High School. Scherer was safe on the play. (Fred Lynch)

Graviett said Dohogne was impressive at the plate over the weekend, during which she finished 2 for 4 with a double in a 10-0 win over Central and was 2 for 3 in a 4-1 victory over Kelly.

"She's really one of the girls who's been stepping up in the middle of the batting order as far as driving in runs," Graviett said about Dohogne. "... We needed that in the middle of the order with those top two girls getting on base at a crazy rate."

Maddie Urhahn scored Dohogne in the fifth on a single to right-center field before back-to-back singles by Rylie Gant and Lindsey Elfrink loaded the bases with nobody out. Anne Ziegler plated Urhahn on a single to left field, and Payton Friga scored Gant on a sacrifice fly to left field to end the Bulldogs' scoring in the three-run inning.

Graviett was pleased with the performance from Ziegler, who finished 3 for 3 as the No. 8 hitter.

"Annie stepping up at the bottom of that order as a senior leader, it's just huge seeing her get her bat going," he said.

Notre Dame pitcher Ellie Retz delivers to a Cape Central batter during the second inning Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015 at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Fred Lynch)

Central (3-15) struggled against Retz, recording only two hits through the first five innings, but Tigers coach Amy Blattel said her team wasn't taking advantage of its pitches early in the game.

"I was happy with the way we played defensively. We just weren't aggressive enough on offense," Blattel said. "We had some pitches early on that we should've been swinging at, but we watched the ball go by. ... They're hitting the ball hard, just right at people."

No. 9 hitter Jaden Kight provided half of Central's offense, finishing 2 for 2 at the plate. The freshman delivered the game's only triple, a one-out blast to the left-field wall in the top of the third.

"You can't ask for any more than that," Blattel said. "She was really seeing the ball well today and was able to make solid contact and put the ball into play, so I was happy to see that from her."

Huffman was tagged with the loss. She went six innings, allowed 12 hits and six runs -- all earned -- and had two strikeouts and three walks.

Retz pitched a complete game in the shutout win, improving to 7-0 on the year.

"Anytime you can go out there and throw it where you want to, you're going to have success, and that's what she's really been doing. That's a lot of reason for her success," Graviett said about Retz. "She's been able to have command of her pitches and limit her walks."

Cape Central shortstop Sydney Tollison catches Notre Dame's Lily Dohogne in a rundown during the third inning Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015 at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Fred Lynch)

The Bulldogs will compete in the Jackson Invitational this weekend before closing out their regular season next week against Perryville at home and on the road against Kelly and Saxony Lutheran.

"We don't talk a whole lot about how many we've won in a row or what our record is, that kind of stuff. We're focused on the end," Graviett said. "We just keep throwing competition at them each and every day to try to get the best teams for them to play. We don't want to get too comfortable in this spot. ... These girls just want to get back to that sectional game to try to redeem themselves."

Cape Central 000 000 0 -- 0 4 3

Notre Dame 101 130 x -- 6 12 1

WP -- Ellie Retz, 7-0. LP -- Caleigh Huffman. 3B -- Jaden Kight (C). 2B -- Lily Dohogne (ND). Multiple hits: Central -- Kight 2-2; Notre Dame -- Dohogne 3-3, Anne Ziegler 3-3.