Notre Dame suffers loss in quarterfinals

ST. LOUIS -- Too much Loni Wedemeier and not enough defense spelled the end of Notre Dame High School's best-ever softball season.

Wedemeier, Clopton's star pitcher, was overpowering and the Lady Hawks took advantage of several Notre Dame miscues as they knocked off the Lady Bulldogs 2-0 in a Class 2A quarterfinal at Kirkwood High School Tuesday afternoon.

Clopton, which had never before advanced past the quarterfinals, will take a 23-4 record into this weekend's 2A Final Four in Columbia.

Notre Dame, which before this year had never even won a district title, finishes its record-setting season with a 25-4 mark.

"We would have loved to have moved on, but we had a great year," said Notre Dame coach Chris Janet. "These girls raised the bar to another level for Notre Dame softball."

Wedemeier kept the Lady Bulldogs from pushing that bar up even higher as she fired a two-hitter, with 12 strikeouts and just one walk.

Notre Dame had a hit in each of the first two innings, but then Wedemeier really kicked her game into high gear. She no-hit the Lady Bulldogs over the final five frames and fanned 11 of a possible 12 batters from the third through the sixth innings.

"She's a good pitcher, the name of their team," Janet said. "They've ridden her all the way to the final four."

And Clopton coach Lance Richardson said Wedemeier didn't even have her best stuff.

"She's tough, and to be honest with you, she didn't throw that good," he said. "But she's just a horse."

Said a grinning Wedemeier, "This is so exciting, to finally make it (to the final four). I tend to get stronger the more I get into the game."

Notre Dame used two pitchers and they were also fairly impressive as Clopton had just three hits -- and only one of those left the infield.

Starter and loser Lindsay Reinagel allowed those three hits and two runs -- one earned -- in 4 2/3 innings. Mika Williamson gave up no runs and no hits in 2 1/3 innings.

"Our pitchers did well," said Janet. "We could still be playing in a 0-0 game."

That's probably true. Clopton scored the only run it would need without the benefit of a hit in the top of the fourth inning. Brittany Geary led off with a fly ball to right that Sarah Gosche dropped for an error, although it was not a routine play.

Brandi Mills sacrificed Geary to second. Brandi Tipton then laid down a bunt that third baseman Stacy Schwartz first bobbled a bit and then threw wildly past first for an error as a run scored.

Clopton's final run, in the fifth, was earned, but could have also been avoided. With one out, Rachel Dorsey bunted for a hit and Brett Dockery sacrificed. After Dockery was thrown out at first, Dorsey rounded second too far and was in trouble as first baseman Williamson fired to shortstop Tracie Kluesner.

But Kluesner appeared to hesitate just a bit before throwing to third and Dorsey was able to make it safely as she and the ball arrived at about the same time and it was dislodged from third baseman Schwartz. Wedemeier followed with an infield single off Reinagel's glove that made it 2-0.

"What hurts is we gave them their two runs and that's not characteristic of this team," Janet said.

Katlyn Kelley singled and Ramona Blankenship doubled for Notre Dame's hits.

Janet figures the Lady Bulldogs will be strong again next year as they lose just three seniors, although Kluesner, Kelley and Williamson were all among Notre Dame's top players.

"We're going to miss those three, but I look for us to be solid again next year," said Janet.