Dexter BB holds off furious Notre Dame rally for historic W

Dexter High School junior hitter Nolan Alford connects for one of his three hits against Notre Dame on Friday in the opening round of the SEMO Conference Baseball Tournament at Notre Dame.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

CAPE GIRARDEAU – After losing to Notre Dame in varsity baseball action (in at least) 22 consecutive times, the odds that Dexter was going to knock off the Bulldogs in the opening round of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Friday at Notre Dame weren’t great.

Trailing 9-2 in its final at-bat, the odds that Notre Dame was going to rally to beat the Bearcats weren’t great either.

One of those feats was achieved, while the other – shockingly – nearly was, as well. However, No. 6-seed Dexter survived a furious six-run final inning from the hosts to upset No. 3-seed Notre Dame 9-8 and advance to today’s championship semifinal against No. 2-seed Poplar Bluff at 12:15 p.m. at Whitey Herzog Field in Jackson.

“The players just get better every day,” second-year Bearcat coach Steve Edwards said. “They are believing in each other.”

The last time Dexter won an opening round game in this tournament, Bearcat starting pitcher on Friday, freshman Trey Pedigo, was in diapers (2012). However, on Friday, he gave Dexter (10-8) the early momentum that his team needed by working 4 1/3 innings and allowing just two earned runs while striking out four.

“His fastball he worked inside well,” Edwards said. “He wasn’t afraid to throw his fastball inside.”

The Bearcats scored a run in the first and led 3-0 in the third inning before Notre Dame scored a couple runs to narrow the gap.

Dexter answered with six runs scattered over the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, and appeared to be cruising to a rout. However, Notre Dame (11-11), which had beaten Dexter 10-1 earlier this month, got a lead-off single from junior Reid Morgan in the bottom of the seventh, which was the first of three hits and five walks (one intentional) that led to six runs before the Bearcats squelched the rally.

“We said in the sixth inning that we had six outs left to play with,” first-year Bulldog coach Dave Lawson said. “We got some good at-bats, and it gave us a chance at the end of the game.”

In his second at-bat in the inning, Morgan, who had four hits and as many RBI while scoring a run, hit a two-run single to pull Notre Dame to within 9-8 with two outs. However, Dexter sophomore closer Houston Neeley got a ground ball out to end the game.

“All we can ask for is that our team keeps fighting,” Lawson said.

Offensively, Dexter was paced by junior Jackson Howard, who tallied four hits (two doubles), four RBI, and a pair of stolen bases.

Bearcat junior Nolan Alford added three hits (two doubles), four runs, and three stolen bases while senior Ryan Young (one hit, two runs, two walks, stolen base), junior Beau Carrier (one hit, one run, two RBI, one walk), sophomore Gibson Booker (one RBI, two walks), and freshman Justus Lovelady (one RBI, two walks) also contributed.

Carrier worked two innings in relief and allowed just one earned run.

Morgan had a double for the Bulldogs while junior Logan Landewee (one RBI, one walk), sophomore TJ Bolen (one hit, one run), senior Brycen Clark (one hit, one walk), senior Jack Evans (one walk), junior Channing Pattengill (one hit, one run), junior Brett Dohogne (one hit), freshman Samuel Gaeta (one run, one walk), senior CarsonEssner (one hit, one walk), junior Nicholas Gaeta (one run, one RBI, one walk), sophomore Chase Lawson (one run, one RBI, two walks), sophomore Houston Crawford (one hit, one run, one walk), and junior Lawson Mills (one run, one RBI, one walk) were also productive.

Crawford threw 5 1/3 innings in the start and struck out nine Bearcats while three relievers worked the final 1 2/3 innings.

Notre Dame will face No. 7-seed New Madrid County Central (2-15) today at 12:15 p.m. at Notre Dame (weather permitting).

The Eagles fell 16-1 to the Mules.