It was a scary realization for Class 4 softball contenders.

The Warrenton softball team didn’t play its best game and struggled offensively, but shut out Cape Girardeau Notre Dame Monday in a rematch of last year’s state title game, 3-0.

The Warriors took advantage of wild pitching in the third inning as junior infielder Amanda Vehlewald drove in two runs on a double to center field.

Vehlewald finished with two hits on the day.

It would be all the run support senior pitcher Kaylee Anderson would need.

Anderson gave up four hits in a complete game shutout.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning of the game, but after a couple of innings I just started to settle in and just focused on hitting my spots and keeping them off-balance,” Anderson said.

Warrenton Head Coach Trevor Hibbs called Anderson the ace of the pitching staff earlier in the season, and for good reason.

Anderson has a 0.88 earned-run average in five starts thus far.

Opponents are hitting .182 off of her this season, and Hibbs said the dominant performances have been needed.

“If there’s one negative to take from this game, it’s that we didn’t have the bats rolling,” Hibbs said. “Right now I think it’s a little bit mental, but that’s how it goes sometimes offensively. Last year we didn’t start out really hot, but then we finished really strong.”

The Warriors finished with three hits Monday afternoon.

Senior shortstop Jenny Jansen scored the third Warrenton run in the third inning, taking advantage of a Notre Dame throwing error to score from first.

“It’s nice to take advantage of miscues like that,” Hibbs said.

The Warriors took advantage of Notre Dame defensive miscues, as well, turning three double plays on the afternoon.

“Those were big plays that kept them off the bases and killed any momentum they had,” Hibbs said.

Anderson worked around jams in the first, third and sixth innings, stranding four batters.

In the sixth, a Notre Dame runner reached third with no outs.

Anderson fielded her position for consecutive outs before inducing an inning-ending ground ball to Jansen.

“They got that girl on third with nobody out and she really beared down and got out of it,” Hibbs said. “That was an excellent job by Kaylee.”

The defending Class 4 state champs ended August with a string of tough games that included matchups with Bowling Green, Columbia Hickman and Union, all on the road.

The Warriors finished the stretch 6-1, but Hibbs believes the team can continue to get better.

“We’ve got to get our bats going and hit a little better,” he said.

Anderson isn’t worried.

“Our defense is fine but our hitting will come,” she said. “It will just take some time.”