SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame opened its 2011 home slate with a pair of frigid games against the Purple Raiders of the University of Mount Union on Monday. NDC earned a split, winning, 9-6, and losing, 12-8. (Gm-1 | Gm-2)

Junior right fielder #Charisse Colston# exhibited a hot bat on an afternoon marked by wind-chill temperatures in the low-20s and a disappointing loss in game two. Coming off a three-homer, 10-RBI day at Cedarville on Saturday, Colston stayed in a groove, going 5-for-5 with three extra-base hits, including a grand slam in the first game, which marked her fifth consecutive game with a homerun. 

Mount Union (8-6) earned a late-inning, come-from-behind win in the second game to spoil NDC's bid for a doubleheader sweep.

Notre Dame (6-14) plated runs in five of six innings in the opener. Colston went 3-for-3 with a double, triple and home run in the victory. She also reached on a walk in the first game. Pitchers #Meredith Harbarger# (five innings) and #Kim Lennox# (two) combined to toss the winning effort in the opener. Hargbarger (1-5) earned the victory while Lennox earned NDC's first save of the season.

In the nightcap, the Falcons scored solo runs in the second and third innings to stake starter #Christina Hutchison# to a 2-0 lead. Hutchison held that lead until the fifth when the Purple Raiders exploded for seven runs against both the NDC starter and Lennox who came on in relief. Mount Union sent 11 batters to the plate in a half-inning that included four hits, three NDC errors, a wild pitch and two walks.

The Blue & White hung threes on the Campus Field scoreboard in both the fifth and seventh innings, but those frames were sandwiched around a five-run outburst by the Purple Raiders in the top of the seventh.

The Falcons are in action again on Wednesday, March 30, when they head to Ashland, Ohio, to take on the Eagles. They first pitch in Wednesday's twin bill is scheduled for 3:30 PM. 

NOTES FROM THE NEST ...

HOME OPENERS: The Falcons are 9-3 in home opening double headers dating back to the 2006 season. Over the last two seasons, the Falcons have been extremely tough to beat on Campus Field, posting a 27-8record at home since the beginning of the 2009 season.

SERIES HISTORY: Though the two schools are separated by just 54 miles, Tuesday afternoon's twin bill marked the first meeting between NDC and Mount Union in recorded history. What is also surprising is that the two teams have only two common opponents (Malone and John Carroll) this season.

TABLE SETTERS: Colston and Shofar, the top two batters in the order currently lead the Falcons with a combined 14 multi-hit games between them. Both have recorded four three hit games on the young season.