PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Notre Dame opened its season with an excellent game, both on the mound and in the batter's box, as the Falcons defeated Pikeville (Ky.), 10-1, in the first half of a win bill on Saturday. Pikeville downed NDC, 7-5, in the second game to earn a split.  (Gm-1 | Gm-2)

Notre Dame dominated the opener, with #Justin Miller# and #Chris Willoughby# combining on a two-hitter. Freshman third baseman #Mike Szabo# paced the NDC offense with a home run and three RBIs. Szabo had one of four hits in a six-run top-of-the-fifth for Notre Dame (1-1).

In the second game, the host Bears (1-1) prevailed as they posted crooked numbers in the first and sixth innings to eventually win a see-saw battle, 7-5. Junior shortstop #Travis Brown# went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double in the nightcap. Brown also had a double in game one and provided the defensive play of the day on a diving stop in the hole at a key moment in the opener.

Making his first start as a Falcon, Miller, a junior transfer from Ohio Northern, gave Notre Dame five strong innings in the first game. The Baltimore, Ohio, native allowed just a run and two base hits (one an infield single) while fanning five. The 6-foot-2 right-hander was relieved by Willoughby in the sixth. Willoughby pitched two scoreless frames despite walking three in the sixth.

For the two games, right fielder #Pat Ross# reached base five times batting lead-off. Center fielder #Ryan Weaver# batted in the two-hole and was also an on-base machine, walking four times on the afternoon.

Those two set the table for Brown, who batted fourth both games, and #Benji Jarabeck#, who batted fifth. Brown went 3-for-5 with three walks on the day; Jarabeck went 3-for-6 with three walks. Over the two games, Notre Dame drew 14 free passes from Pikeville pitching.

After weeks of trudging through snow to get to indoor workouts, Notre Dame's opener in Pikeville was played in 50-degree weather, beneath sunny skies.

“This was a good first day,” said Head Coach #Nick Weisheipl#. We really kind of let one slip away with game two, but my coaches and I saw a lot of good things out there today.”

The Falcons and Bears will continue what is a two-day, four-game series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …


MEET THE BEARS: Pikeville College was founded in 1889. The College is located in Pikeville, Ky., in the eastern part of the state, 100 miles south of Huntington, W. Va. It has an enrollment of 1,100 students. … In athletics, Pikeville competes in the NAIA and is a member of the Mid-South Conference. There are 14 Bear athletic teams. … Saturday's twin bill between the Bears and Falcons, the season opener for both teams, marked the first meeting between the two programs. Both Pikeville and Notre Dame struggled last season, with the Bears posting a 3-32 record and the Falcons going 10-39.

OPEN SEASON: With Notre Dame's 10-1 win in game one on Saturday, the Falcons are now 2-4 in six season openers since the program was instituted in 2005. NDC's 10 runs mark the most they've ever scored in a season opener. … Nick Weisheipl is now 2-0 in season-opening games; NDC won their first two games in 2009 before going on a 12-game losing streak.

TURNING THE PAGE: NDC's opening-day roster includes just six returning lettermen from last season's 10-39 squad. The Falcons' current roster includes 26 players: 12 freshmen, six sophomores, five juniors and three seniors.

WELCOME WAGON: Justin Miller earned Second-Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors while pitching for the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern University last season. Miller led the Polar Bears with a 4.08 ERA, 70-2/3 innings pitched, 77 strikeouts and a .239 opponent-batting average. Miller's performance on Saturday was dominant - he recorded 15 outs, 14 of which came via ground outs (nine) and strikeouts (five).

MININSTERS OF DEFENSE: Defense was a trouble spot for the Falcons in 2009, when the team committed 116 errors in 49 games. On Saturday, the Blue & White made just one error. Weisheipl's lineup included four new faces around the horn in the infield.