Ste. Genevieve, MO: In opening the 2011 season, Notre Dame erased a three run deficit to come back with two outs and defeat Valle Catholic in the bottom of the seventh inning, a game that everyone in attendance thought Valle had locked down. That game is one that Valle Head Coach Judd Naeger did not forget and reminded his team of Wednesday, as No. 21 Valle Catholic upset No. 2 Notre Dame 3 to 1. Clutch hitting from the bottom of the order, a gem on the mound from RHP Alex Rollhaus, and quality defense were the ingredients for Valle’s seventeenth win of the season (17-4).

Valle Catholic put the first run on the board in the second inning. C Lincoln Stoll singled and would come around to score on a triple down the right field line by the number nine hitter, LF Bryant Vessel. The triple by Vessell was his first of the season, and the first of his two hits in the game, one of only two players with multiple hits on the afternoon 

Notre Dame would counter with a run, also off of a triple by their number nine hitter. SS Griffen Seibert, after a two out single to right field, came around to score on a triple off the bat of CF Kyle Campbell. The Valle leftfielder Vessell almost made a diving catch to preserve the shut out, but the aggressive effort allowed the ball to roll to the fence and tie the game up at 1-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Valle Catholic Warriors broke the 1-1 tie and created a bit of breathing room. After lead off walk to DH Andrew Basler, Stoll laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second. RF Nolan Wood followed by beating the throw on an infield single, putting runners on first and second. Just as it is drawn up, Vessell came through with what would be the game winning hit, a single to right center field scoring Basler from second and collecting his second RBI of the game. The next hitter, SS Alec Greminger followed with an fielder’s choice, scoring Wood and extending the lead to 3-1.

Alex Rollhaus commanded the game on the mound for Valle Catholic, allowing only four hits and striking out five. Rollhaus worked quickly on the mound with good rhythm, keeping his defense on their toes, and they responded with an error free game.

“Last year we had them, and that was a tough loss. It was good to be able to come back this year and get them,” said Valle Catholic head coach Judd Naeger. “Alex did a great job on the mound and was able to spot the ball up.”

Notre Dame falls to 18-4 and has lost two in a row for the first time this season.