Bunte sets tone on mound, at plate in first inning as Notre Dame beats Tri-City in regional finals

QUINCY — The momentum swing was quick and quite obvious.

Right after Quincy Notre Dame softball pitcher Caitlin Bunte worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the top of the first inning, she led off for the Raiders in their first at-bat.

One swing later, Bunte’s left-handed stroke sent a pitch from Tri-City’s Lily Woodworth well over the right-field fence. That staked QND to an early advantage it eventually built to a 5-1 victory in the Class 2A regional championship game before a crowd of about 400 at The Backyard.

The regional title is Notre Dame’s sixth straight, and Tri-City was denied its first title since 2022. QND has won 11 straight games and stands 27-5 heading into Tuesday’s 4:30 p.m. sectional semifinal matchup versus Williamsville (19-13) in Macomb. Tri-City closes its season 20-10.

QND’s quick start fit into 28th-year coach Eric Orne’s game plan.

“We just try to win one inning at a time, especially at this time of the season,” Orne said.

That “victory” in the opening inning was all that Bunte would need. Tri-City’s only score came in the top of the seventh with the game well in hand.

Bunte, who raised her record to 13-3, struck out 10, walked just one and stranded Tri-City seven runners — five of those over the first three innings.

It was her home run, however, she enjoyed talking about most.

“That was a good to start to the game. We needed that,” she said. “We needed some energy.”

Orne agreed, feeling the early blast allowed both Bunte and the rest of the Raiders to relax.

“That home run allowed us all to exhale, I think,” he said.

Orne was impressed with Bunte’s overall approach, before and during the game. Bunte said she had worked this week on refining and retooling a couple of her pitches, specifically the riseball and screwball.

“When Caitlin gets the ball up, she tends to struggle,” Orne said. “She commanded the ball very well today and did what she needed to do.” 

Catcher Lauren Miller, who socked a two-run home run in the fifth inning — her third of the season — to cap the Raiders’ scoring, had the best view of anyone regarding how effective Bunte was throughout the game.

“She was just doin’ her thing,” Miller surmised.

Concerning her own contribution, Miller downplayed the home run.

“I wasn’t really trying to do much. I was just trying to keep my head on (the ball),” she said. “I wasn’t trying to hit it over the fence, but it happened.”

Notre Dame scored its other two runs on an RBI single from Morgan Zanger in the third inning and a run-scoring double from Alyssa Ley in the fifth. Ley’s two-bagger preceded Miller’s home run.

“It has been so much fun coaching this group,” Orne said. “This is four straight regional titles for (the seniors on the team), and I think that cements what they’ve meant to this program.”

Orne said preparation for the sectional will begin immediately.

“We’re super excited just to be able to practice again,” Miller said.

Williamsville, which defeated West Hancock 3-0 in the finals of the regional at Carthage, is led by hitters Lucy Nell (.471), Ella Greer (.419), Reese Larson (.415) and Elle Smithers (.380). Smithers has nine home runs and 37 RBIs. The Bullets’ top pitcher is Izzy Nowack (12-9), who has struck out 125 in 119 innings.