SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame Falcons continued their winning ways at Campus Field on Wednesday afternoon, as they took both ends of a twin bill against Cedarville, winning game one, 8-2, and won via the mercy rule, 9-0, in game two. (Gm-1) | (Gm-2)

Before Wednesday's doubleheader, the Falcons (19-20, 10-4) were in second place in the American Mideast Conference standings, sitting three games behind Shawnee State, and a game up on both Malone and Walsh. Wednesday's sweep significantly increased NDC's chances of making the post season, as Notre dame has won nine of their last 10 to turn their season around, after losing five out of their previous six. Cedarville (20-25, 6-8) trailed the Falcons by a pair of games heading into the double dip, and are now in danger of missing the post season.

#Christina Hutchison# (6-5) tossed her second complete game in as many days, and held Cedarville to just a pair of runs on four hits. Hutchison held the Yellow Jackets to just a hit over the final three and two-thirds. The Falcons scored early and often in the first contest and never looked back. The freshmen from Ashtabula, Ohio, struck out eight batters in the contest.

Notre Dame batted around and set the tone early with a six run first inning. #Christine Kasidonis# was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate the first run, and #Felisha Jones# followed with a single to score #Charisse Colston# before #Michelle Dykes# delivered a huge bases clearing double to score three, and scored a few moments later on #Ashley Harbarger#'s double down the right field line. Harbarger went 3-for-3 in the contest, with two other run scoring hits. The Akron, Ohio, native ripped a two out single to center field which scored Jones in the third, and singled through the right side to score Jones again in the bottom of the fifth.

Harbarger took the hill for the Falcons in game two, and held the Yellow Jackets scoreless over five innings of two hit ball as the Falcons run-ruled Cedarville, 9-0. The Falcons spotted Harbarger an early lead by plating a trio of runs in the first inning. #Melissa Dykes# singled through the middle of the infield to score #Candace Shofar#, and Colston scored a few moments later on a wild pitch. A balk brought Dykes home to complete the inning.

Dykes reached on an error in the second inning, which scored #Mallory Harder# and the Falcons put the game away with a five run fourth inning. They batted around for the second time on the afternoon, and it was Jones's fifth hit of the double dip, a bases clearing double which brought in three runs, that highlighted the big frame for Notre Dame.

Harbarger (7-3) snagged the victory, and rebounded from a shaky outing the night before. Harbarger retired the last eight batters she faced and fanned six. She has gone five innings or more in her last five appearances.

The combination of Hutchison and Harbarger held the Yellow Jackets to just two runs on six hits over 12 innings. Jones had a huge day for NDC, leading the way for the Falcon offense with five hits, as she went 5-for-6, with four runs and four RBIs. #Michelle Dykes# turned in a 3-for-6 performance in the 8-hole, with a run and four RBIs. Jones is hitting .449 (22-for-49) in conference play, which is tops on the team.

The Falcons will be back in action on Thursday, April 22, when they head to Ohio Dominican for a road tilt. The first pitch in game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST

STILL RUNNING WILD: The Falcons lead the AMC in runs scored with 236. Colston is the AMC leader in runs scored with 46. The Falcons are averaging 6.05 runs per game, on 9.36 hits per contest.

HITTING HOME: NDC has recorded double digit hits in seven out of their last eight games. The Falcons have won six in a row at Campus Field. They are 7-1 in conference home games this season. Notre Dame is hitting .368 (138-for-375) on College Road, and they've outscored their opponents 96-49 in 14 home tilts in the 2010 campaign.

CONQUERING THE CONFERENCE: The Falcons are 42-12 in conference play, dating back to the 2008 season. They've won 10 out of their last 12 conference games this season. Notre Dame is hitting .362 (149-for-412) in 12 conference tilts during the 2010 season, with a 2.53 team ERA.