<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3IYGqF_1Gz7y3zh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3IYGqF_1Gz7y3zh00" width="2048" height="1154" ></figure>Members of the Notre Dame softball team receive the Class 3 third-place trophy on Oct. 30 at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. Submitted photoAfter breaking what was a eight-year state final four drought, the Notre Dame softball team took third place in the Class 3 Final Four two weeks ago.The Bulldogs (21-10-1) did so with a 7-5 win over Southern Boone (27-4) in the third-place game on the same day they fell to eventual state champions Centralia (31-6) by a score of 5-1.The Panthers won the Class 3 State Championship by four runs in a shutout of Oak Grove (29-6) for Centralia to come away with its fifth state title in program history on Halloween.The state semifinal between Notre Dame and the Panthers was actually tied 1-all heading into the second-to-last inning of the game.To tie the game, Bulldogs senior Ava Miller hit a line drive to right field for a single, which sent fellow senior Kynna Johnson home for their team’s lone run.Unfortunately for Notre Dame, the Bulldogs had two errors in the top of the sixth inning to load the bases. With two outs, Centralia junior Blakely VanDyke hit a three-run triple off Johnson to give the Panthers a 4-1 advantage through six.Notre Dame’s three batters in the bottom of the inning all struck out swinging as Centralia senior Jaylynn Brown, who is committed to Mizzou, hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to make it 5-1.Brown is also the Panthers ace pitcher as she produced a game-high 15 strikeouts, while Johnson, who is committed to Three Rivers, paced her with 12 Ks.In the third-place game versus Southern Boone, Johnson threw nine strikeouts while allowing all five runs off 10 hits.However, Johnson did hit a solo homer to start the game, while junior Claire Robert recorded a game-high three hits with one double and drove in two runs.Freshman Rue Dorton also had two RBIs in the third-place game as Johnson scored two runs, while Robert, senior Eloiza Marquez, juniors Khloe Gantt, Kaydin King and freshman Shelbi Berkbuegler also rounded home.For Notre Dame to reach its first state final four since 2017, the Bulldogs beat Sullivan (15-14) by only one run at 3-2 in the quarterfinals.Prior to that, Notre Dame won the Class 3 District 1 Championship with a 3-2 win over last year’s state runners-up Doniphan (18-7-1).Overall, the Bulldogs only graduate three players to return a majority of this year’s final four team.</div></body>

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Members of the Notre Dame softball team receive the Class 3 third-place trophy on Oct. 30 at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. Submitted photo. After breaking what was a eight-year state final four drought, the Notre Dame softball team took third place in the Class 3 Final Four two weeks ago.

Notre Dame softball finishes third in Class 3 Final Four

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Members of the Notre Dame softball team receive the Class 3 third-place trophy on Oct. 30 at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. Submitted photo. 

Notre Dame softball finishes third in Class 3 Final Four

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