MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Notre Dame completed their second American Mideast Conference (AMC) doubleheader sweep in a row with a pair of wins over Mount Vernon, 6-4 and 10-9, on Wednesday. NDC improved to 14-8 overall, and 7-1 in the AMC. MVNU dropped to 6-10, and 3-5 in AMC play in defeat.
Freshman #Mallory Harder# came through for the Falcons both at the plate and on the mound. Harder went 4-for-8 on the day with a double, a home run, and three RBI. The freshman from Uniontown, Ohio, also came on in relief in the first game with the bases loaded and no outs in the third inning, and got the Blue & White out of trouble with no additional runs by the Cougars.
Senior third baseman #Anna Ball# was walked a total of seven times by Mount Vernon in nine total at-bats. Ball had two hits in her other two at-bats, and scored a pair of runs in each game.
Game 1
Notre Dame jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with one run in the first on an RBI double by Harder, and two in the third on RBI singles by Ball and Harder.
However, MVNU rattled off four runs of their own in the bottom of the third, chasing NDC starter, senior right-hander #Tara Meyer#. Harder came on and worked her magic to get the Falcons out of the inning.
Meyer rebounded from her pitching woes to drive in the tying run on an RBI groundout in the sixth, and then bring home the winning runs on a two-run RBI single in extra innings in the eighth.
Meyer led all Falcon hitters, going 2-for-4 with a double, triple, and three RBI. Harder went 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI.
Harder (1-1) went 5-plus innings, allowing no runs and striking out four.
Game 2
MVNU jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after one, but NDC kept the pressure on the Cougars throughout the second game, scoring in every inning except the second.
The Falcons' big innings were the fifth and sixth where they scored three runs in each to take a 10-5 lead. Senior shortstop #Stephanie Tartaglione# had RBI hits in each inning, including a run-scoring double in the fifth. Mount Vernon countered with four runs of their own in the seventh, but sophomore right-hander #Meredith Harbarger# shut the door preserving the Falcon win.
Senior catcher #Jill Gigliotti# went 3-for-4 with a double for the Falcons. Tartaglione finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Harder and fellow freshman #Michelle Dykes# each went 2-for-4 with a home run in the game.
Harbarger (6-4) went the distance, striking out five, to earn the victory.
Notre Dame will return to action on Saturday, April 11, at Walsh in AMC doubleheader action. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
NOTES FROM THE NEST…
WALK THIS WAY: Ball's seven walks on Wednesday bring her season total up to 17. The senior from Bellville set a program-record last season (2008) with 32 walks. Ball recently passed Pam Pusnick on the career walks list with her 65th against Rio Grande on April 2. Ball has now earned 79 base-on-balls in her career.
HITTING IT HARDER: With her home run in the second game, Harder added to her program-record for home runs by a freshman with six. The previous record was held by Ball with four in 2006.
SEVEN UP: Notre Dame's 7-1 start in conference play is their best record through eight games since 2006 when they started 8-0. The Falcons have opened conference play at 6-2 the last two seasons (2007, 2008).
