Eleven Run Fourth Vaults Hounds to League Semi Final

The Notre Dame Hounds Varsity Baseball team won their first playoff game in their second year of participation in the Southern Alberta High School Baseball League.  Last season, the Hounds dropped a disappointing 8-6 extra-innings loss in the quarter final.  This year, facing the first place team from the Western Division, the Cardston Cougars, the Hounds came out on top in a wild 15-10 game.
The Hounds jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after their first at bat.  Starting pitcher Kaitlyn Ross retired the first three Cougar hitters in order.
The Cougars clawed their way to the lead plating four runs in the second inning.  Fighting the wind and the rain, Ross gave up another four runs in the third.  Hunter Livingston came in from the bullpen and stopped the Cougar rally.  In the top of the fourth, as the sun game out, the Hounds bats came alive.  After fourteen batters, the Hounds put up eleven runs on six hits and five walks.  Kaitlyn ross lead off the fourth with a walk and later came up with a two run double.  Livingston pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth before the Cougars picked up two runs in the sixth.  With the score at 15-10 in favour of the Hounds in the bottom of the seventh, Livingston retired the final three batters he faced inducing the final Cougar hitter to pop out to catcher Vaughn Wilgosh.  The Hounds collected sixteen hits with Cort Shapka leading the assault with four hits, Shane Collins chipped in with three singles and Julien Ducharme reached base all four times with two singles and two walks.  The Hounds now head to the semi final at Tourmaline Field in Okotoks, AB at 10:00 AM.