LEROY – Notre Dame rallied with timely hits for a 6-4 win at North Vermilion Thursday afternoon. There were some touchy moments, but the defending 3A state champs executed when needed and improved to 12-4 overall and 3-1 in district 5-3A play.

The Lady Pios got on the board in their first at bat when Taylor Simon was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a base hit to right by Katherine Kirsch. Simon scored when Kirsch drew a rundown between first and second.

North Vermilion responded to take the lead without a hit in their half of the inning. ND freshman pitcher Molly Stelly walked the leadoff batter and the Pats converted with two runs aided by a fielding error, three wild pitches and a sacrifice fly.

Notre Dame got the lead back in the fourth with four consecutive base hits. Simon bounced a one-out triple off the right field fence and tied the game when Charlotte Brown laid down a squeeze bunt.

With two outs, Kirsch bounced a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Brown. Alexa Thibodeaux and Heidi Bellard followed with RBI singles. Meranda LeBlanc made it four hits in a row, but was thrown out between first and second before Bellard could score.

North Vermilion again answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases and the Pats closed the gap to 5-4 with a base hit to score two.

Stelly got two ground balls to pitch out of the jam and two pop ups to end the fourth inning with runners at second and third. The freshman came on to retire the last nine batters for the complete game win, allowing just three hits and striking out seven.

Notre Dame had a chance to break the game open in the sixth, but had to settle for an insurance run when North Vermilion ended the inning with a triple play.

With runners at second and third, Kirsch lined what looked like an extra base hit into the left center field gap. The North Vermilion center fielder ran down the hard hit ball with both runners on the move. The Pats doubled one runner off second and threw to third for the rare triple play to end the inning with Notre Dame up, 6-4.

Stelly then struck out two and got a fly ball to end the game and preserve the Pios’ win.

ND pounded 11 hits with eight players hitting safely. Simon, Kirsch and Meghan Murrel each had two hits with Kirsch getting two RBIs.

Notre Dame plays in the Sulphur Tournament this weekend and will close the first round of league play by hosting Kaplan on Tuesday.