By Chris Faulkner
Notre Dame's varsity baseball team scored on a pair of RBI singles by Spencer Brent and Caden Schwenker in the bottom of the sixth to end its South Division game at home with Central Lee early, 14-4.
The Nikes are off a 5-0 start but play in a tough two-game tournament at Dyversville Beckman Saturday.
The Nikes opened the season with a 10-0, five-inning victory over Fort Madison at home May 18. Notre Dame then won the Cedar Valley Classic in Waterloo Saturday, May 20, by downing Mount Vernon 7-1 and then getting past Gilbertville Don Bosco 8-5.
On Tuesday, Notre Dame hit four home runs against West Burlington in a 16-0, four-inning game, at the Falcons' diamond.
Against Central Lee, Dylan Kipp hit a pair of two-run home runs for Notre Dame. Logan Brent went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and his courtesy runner, Jack Drew, scored twice for the catcher.
Schwenker and Spencer Brent each drove in two runs. Eli Oleson hit an RBI single.
Landry Haberichter has had the hottest bat so far. The freshman went 7-for-10 in the first three games and 2-for-4 against West Burlington. He walked twice, was hit once, reached on a fielder's choice, and scored all four times against Central Lee.
Payne Prottsman pitched the victory but left early to keep his pitch count from getting too high. Isaiah Crow, Jeremiah Crow, and Habericther followed him in relief.
Against West Burlington, Notre Dame hit four home runs, including two by Schwenker and one each by Kipp and Isaiah Crow. Spencer Brent went 3-for-3. Isaiah Crow was 2-for-3. Haberichter went 2-for-4 with a double. Logan Brent and Hunter Shipley added singles. Jeremiah Crow added a run.
Brock Thuleen took the loss. He and Kody Allen had the Falcons' only hits.
Of the Nikes' blazing start, it didn't hurt that the Nikes played in a 25-game spring league, so beginning-of-the-season kinks have been well ironed out already.
“I won't say we're in mid-season form,” Coach Chris Chiprez said, “but we're close.
“We've got a bunch of guys that eat, sleep, drink the game,” Chiprez said of his Nikes, who went 15-11 last year and lost Carson Chiprez and Jackson Brent to graduation.
West Burlington is 2-2
West Burlington's varsity baseball team lost to Van Buren 8-3 Friday, May 26, in Keosauqua.
Hayden Vandenberg went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Jace Figuereo singled in a run.
Brock Thuleen was the losing pitcher. He struck out two and walked two.
The Falcons beat Winfield-Mount Union 7-2 Thursday, May 25.
Bo Begner pitched the victory. He struck out six and walked six. Conner Bush pitched in relief and struck out two batters in the one inning he threw.
Vandenberg went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Figuereo was 2-for-2 with a double. Brady Diewold had the other hit for the Falcons.