Tigers finish on top

Saturday, she was a big reason why the Tigers won their second title in three years. Palermo drove in three runs in Notre Dame’s 4-1 win over Robert Louis Stevenson-Pebble Beach in the D-III final at San Jose’s PAL Stadium. The victory capped a dominant run by the No. 2 seed Tigers, who finished the season 27-8 and won their three postseason games by a combined margin of 16-2.

"As a senior, you couldn’t ask for a better way to end your high school career,” Palermo said. "(The final out) was a great way to end it.”

Was it ever.

The fourth-seeded Pirates (22-6) had a runner at second base with two outs when Megan Volpano lifted a flyball to right field. The Tigers’ Alison Lam made the catch and as she’s done so many times in her career made a perfect throw to third to gun down the Pirates’ Dana Prelsnik for the final out. Tigers coach George Silvey immediately jumped up and pumped his right arm in exultation, and soon after the players were celebrating near the third-base bag.

"When she (Prelsnik) went I said to myself the game was over,” Silvey said. "I’ve seen Alison make that play and we practice that play 10 minutes everyday (in practice). I’m really excited inside. That’s why I came here (to win a CCS championship).”

The outcome was never really in doubt. Notre Dame scored two runs in the first and never trailed. Palermo, whom Silvey raves about for her leadership qualities, delivered time and again throughout the season. Saturday was no different. She hit a run-scoring groundout in the first, an RBI double in the third and drove in another run with a fifth-inning single.

Maia Monchek had another big day, roping an RBI triple in the first. She finished 2 for 2 coming off a semifinal game in which she nearly hit for the cycle. The Tigers also received production from the bottom of their order. No. 8 hitter Lauren Henry drew three walks and No. 9 batter Elizabeth Holden finished with two singles.

The Tigers have one of the best hitting lineups in all of the Bay Area, but the Pirates actually outhit them, 8-7. Notre Dame won despite having two runners thrown out at home plate and being without slugger Kelly McDonald, who dislocated her shoulder late in the season. RLS put up a game effort but once again had to settle for bridesmaid status, as it was the third straight year in which it lost in the finals. The Pirates blew a golden opportunity to make things closer in the latter stages.

They had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth against Notre Dame pitcher Stephanie Menzel, who struggled with the home plate umpire’s zone all game but still managed to pitch effectively. Menzel got Karina Kosseler to hit a slow bouncer to third baseman Henry, who flipped the ball to Palermo for the force at home.

Shockingly, the RLS runner at second froze and was easily thrown out at third for a double play. The Tigers took advantage of the break, and Menzel — who pitched brilliantly all season — got the next batter to popout and end the threat. Moments before the double play, Silvey came out to talk with his team. It was an important moment, so Silvey tried to loosen things up.

"I asked them if "American Idol” was on tonight,” he said. "I just wanted them to stay relaxed. They have enough pressure on them that the last thing they need is an old man yelling at them.”

Notre Dame had plenty of motivation entering this season. It lost a heartbreaking 1-0 game to Notre Dame-Salinas in the semifinal round last year. Notre Dame-Salinas has established itself as the pre-eminent force in D-III, but Notre Dame-Belmont is looking to supplant the Spirits, who won an amazing eight consecutive CCS titles starting in 1998 before the Tigers won two years ago.

The Spirits won again last year but was upset by RLS in the semis this season. Now it’s the Notre Dame from Belmont which has won two of the last three D-III titles.

"These girls were hungry from tryouts,” Silvey said.

Said Palermo: "After what happened last year, we didn’t want to feel that again. We had to win.”

And that’s exactly what the Tigers did.

Game Box

Notre Dame-Belmont 4, Robert Louis Stevenson 1

RLS 001 000 0 — 1 8 0

ND 201 010 x — 4 7 1

WP — Menzel. LP — Felix. 2B — (N) Palermo. 3B — (N) Monchek. Multiple hits — (R) Prelsnik, Nicora; (N) Monchek 2, Palermo 2, Holden 2. Multiple RBIs — Palermo 3. Records — Notre Dame 27-8, Robert Louis Stevenson 22-6.