Shutout enables QND seniors to walk away from final home game with ‘memory I’ll hold forever’

Quincy Notre Dame second baseman Lanie Fesler, left, and third baseman Brooke Boden celebrate the end of an inning Saturday against Illini West at The Backyard. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — The seniors on the Quincy Notre Dame softball team celebrated Senior Night before Friday’s victory against Camp Point Central, but Saturday was their final game at The Backyard. That’s what made it such a bittersweet day. “It’s just a memory I’ll hold forever,” senior outfielder Marah Becks said. “This is just a place…

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Prom is no distraction as Raiders take care of business in all facets against Crimsons

Quincy Notre Dame's Lauren Miller safely slides across the plate before the tag from Jacksonville catcher Chase Neice during Saturday's game at The Backyard. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — There wasn’t enough time for prom to become a distraction. Quincy Notre Dame softball coach Eric Orne hopes the post-prom letdown won’t be either. The Raiders needed a tidy 1 hour, 10 minutes to dispatch Jacksonville on Saturday morning, rolling to a 12-0 victory in five innings at The Backyard. It allowed enough…

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Bright lights, softball city: QND cashes in on scoring opportunities, shuts out QHS

Quincy Notre Dame right-hander Brooke Boden tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings Wednesday night against Quincy High School in the Raiders' 4-0 victory at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

Editor’s Note: Technological issues resulted in losing all of our images taken during the game. We apologize there will be no photo gallery to accompany this story. QUINCY — It may not have been Friday night lights, but it was pretty darn close. When the Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy High School softball teams renewed…

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Photo gallery: QND rallies to beat QHS in softball’s crosstown showdown at The Backyard

Quincy Notre Dame's Caitlin Bunte, center, celebrates with her teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning Monday against Quincy High School at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning sparked by an RBI single from Payton Stupavsky allowed the Quincy Notre Dame softball team to secure a 6-3 victory over Quincy High School on Monday at The Backyard and sweep in the city series. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the…

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Raiders continue hit parade against Indians, run winning streak to 11 straight with Titans looming

Quincy Notre Dame pitcher Brooke Boden, right, and the Raiders infielders exchange high-fives before the first inning Wednesday against Payson Seymour at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Addi Zanger understands there’s a peaceful, easy feeling knowing the Quincy Notre Dame softball players won’t let each other down. It helps they’re all on common ground. “You want to get a hit, but there’s no stress,” the senior first baseman said. “We have good at-bats all the way through. It’s a really…

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Perfect 10s: Raiders improve to 10-0 with 10-run rout of Cyclones behind Bunte’s no-hitter

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore left-hander Caitlin Bunte delivers a pitch during Monday's game against Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Caitlin Bunte didn’t expect a blustery wind blowing straight out to center field Monday afternoon to alter anything she needed to do in the pitcher’s circle. “If I’m hitting my spots, even with the wind blowing, I knew we’d be fine,” she said. Then the Quincy Notre Dame softball team’s left-handed hurler saw…

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Photo gallery: QND softball team stays undefeated with five-inning victory over SHG

Quincy Notre Dame third baseman Brooke Boden connects and drives the ball during Monday's game against Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Caitlin Bunte was unhittable in the circle and unstoppable at the plate. The Quincy Notre Dame sophomore tossed a five-inning no-hitter in leading the QND softball team to a 10-0 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin on Monday at The Backyard. Bunte also belted two home runs as the Raiders improved to 10-0. Muddy…

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Bunte’s effort in circle, Raiders’ ability to play with ‘speed and power’ leads to victory over Rockets

Quincy Notre Dame's Caitlin Bunte struck out 10 batters during Tuesday's 10-1 victory over Rushville-Industry at The Backyard. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — Perched at first base, Addi Zanger gets a daily bird’s-eye view of Caitlin Bunte in the pitcher’s circle. Most games, it can be a little monotonous, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “I don’t really do anything,” Zanger said with a chuckle. “She rolls us a lot of ground balls which is…

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Raiders capitalize on opportunities, hold opposing bats at bay in sweeping season-opening twinbill

Quincy Notre Dame first baseman Addi Zanger snares a throw from catcher Payton Stupavsky on a pickoff attempt during Saturday's game against Calhoun at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Strong pitching, clutch hitting and solid defense. Put those three together and you end up with the results the Quincy Notre Dame softball team enjoyed Saturday during its season-opening games at The Backyard. The Raiders saw Carly Gilker and Caitlin Bunte combine to throw a one-hitter in a 5-0 victory over Calhoun and…

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Photo gallery: QND softball team opens season by sweeping pair of games at The Backyard

The Quincy Notre Dame softball team opened its season Saturday with a pair of victories, beating Calhoun 5-0 and Illini West 13-2 at The Backyard. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame softball team put together strong pitching performances and opportunistic at-bats to beat Calhoun 5-0 and Illini West 13-2 on Saturday in its season-opening games at The Backyard. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured some of the action for this photo gallery:

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Feeling rejuvenated: QND softball team plays with energy, better execution heading into postseason

The Quincy Notre Dame softball players slap Eryn Cornwell on top of the helmet as she crosses home plater after hitting a solo home run Saturday during a 10-5 victory over Pearl City at the Backyard. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Fifteen hours didn’t change much. Friday night at the Backyard, the Pearl City softball team jumped on Quincy Notre Dame by scoring twice in the top of the first inning in what became a 7-2 victory. Saturday morning, the Wolves struck for two runs in the top of the first again. “There’s a…

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Raiders unable to put together two comebacks, fall to Wolves to start competitive weekend

Quincy Notre Dame catcher Lindsey Fischer, right, tags out Pearl City's Kylie Campbell for the second out in the first inning Friday night at the Backyard. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The first comeback showcased the Quincy Notre Dame softball team’s resiliency. The second rally never materialized. Facing Pearl City on Friday night at the Backyard, the Raiders answered the Wolves’ two-run top of the first inning with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. They couldn’t do the same when…

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‘Major League’ speed: Hernandez-Jones’ journey around bases in seventh inning allows Raiders to beat Blue Devils

Quincy Notre Dame catcher Lindsey Fischer sets up to receive a pitch during Monday night's matchup with Quincy High School at The Backyard. Photo courtesy Max Bennett

QUINCY — Eric Orne’s knowledge of sports films came in handy Monday evening. The veteran Quincy Notre Dame softball coach matter-of-factly referenced Raiders left fielder Laela Hernandez-Jones to the fictional Willie Mays Hayes in the classic 1989 baseball movie “Major League.” “Laela is our fastest player, just like Willie Mays Hayes,” Orne said. “She got…

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Marquette quiets QND’s offense, leaves Raiders looking to find momentum before postseason

Quincy Notre Dame's Haley Schertel safely steals second base during Saturday's game against Alton Marquette at The Backyard. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — All the distractions that come with the calendar rolling over from April to May — things like prom, graduation and college commitments — are being magnified by the fact the weather is making it difficult for prep baseball and softball teams to find their rhythm. The opportunity to build postseason momentum is dwindling,…

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Scoring early and often enables QND softball team to pass test against Macomb

The Quincy Notre Dame softball players celebrate with Eryn Cornwell after she hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning Friday against Macomb at the Backyard. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Asked if he’d found a new leadoff hitter, Quincy Notre Dame softball coach Eric Orne chuckled and shook his head. “No,” he said. “We’ll get healed up and back to normal.” But should he consider leaving Abbey Schreacke in the leadoff spot, it creates a potent starting point as Macomb witnessed Friday at…

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Early offense, Cornwell’s pitching carry QND softball team to shutout victory in season opener

From left to right, Quincy Notre Dame third baseman Payton Stupavsky, shortstop Abbey Schreacke and pitcher Eryn Cornwell exchange high-fives prior to the start of an inning Monday in the season opener against Biggsville West Central at the Backyard. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brooke Boden’s ability to play either corner infield position or pitch gives the Quincy Notre Dame softball coaching staff some flexibility when it comes to setting a lineup. If she hits the way she did Monday, the coaches will need to find a spot for her wherever it may be. Boden, a sophomore…

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