LORAIN, Ohio -- Notre Dame opened its 2011 American Mideast Conference slate with a Friday doubleheader against Cedarville. CU won the opener, and NDC took the nightcap to gain a split. (Gm-1 | Gm-2)
Cedarville (19-7, 1-1 AMC) prevailed, 2-1, in the first game, plating a pair of unearned runs and getting a solid pitching performance from freshman right-hander Cullen Montgomery. In game two, the Falcons (18-7, 1-1) nearly let a 6-1 lead slip away in the seventh before escaping with a 6-5 victory.
“Our defense was a little shaky today,” said Coach #Nick Weisheipl#, whose team made four errors leading to four unearned runs over the two games. “This is what conference play is -- games like these. You have to claw and fight for every out, and the little things matter a lot in the end.”
#Tony Younis# went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two walks and a hit-by-pitch to pace the NDC offense on a day that saw the Falcons have the program's longest winning streak snapped at 10 games. NDC hadn't lost since March 5.
In the first game, Cedarville plated two runs in the top of the third when they coupled a pair of singles with two NDC errors. Sophomore left-hander tossed a gem for the Falcons but was collared with the loss, his first of the year. Davis allowed just those two unearned runs in a complete game effort that included a career-high eight strikeouts and no walks.
Cedarville's Cullen Montgomery matched zeroes with Davis in running his season record to 5-0. Montgomery allowed just a solo run -- on three walks and a single -- in the Falcon fourth. He went the route for the Yellow Jackets, walking five and striking out three.
In the nightcap, Notre Dame's offense drew another five walks, but they capitalized on them to a greater degree. NDC scored two runs in the first inning, two in the third, one in the fifth and one in the sixth. With freshman right-hander #Chris Miller# cruising, the Falcons took a 6-1 lead into the seventh.
The Yellow Jackets scored four runs in that seventh frame, leaving the tying and go-ahead runs on base when the game ended. Miller's final line included 6-2/3 innings of work. He struck out five while walking three. The Canfield, Ohio, native allowed five runs (three earned) on eight base hits. #Sean Harnish# got the last out in the seventh to earn his first save of the season.
Younis reached base four times in the second game, raising his on-base percentage to .410 on the season.
The two teams will face each other again in a doubleheader at Cedarville on Saturday (1 p.m.).
NOTES FROM THE NEST …
NO FOOLIN': Notre Dame went 12-4 in 16 March games before flipping the calendar to April on Friday. NDC is 26-9 in March over the last two years. ... NDC is now 7-2 this year in one-run games. ... Falcon and Yellow Jacket batters went a combined 10-for-45 with runners in scoring position on Friday.
SERIES HISTORY: The Falcons and Yellow Jackets have now met 14 times in their all-time series, which dates back to 2005. NDC has won eight of those games. ... CU's Alex Beelen came into Friday's action with the fourth-highest batting average in the NAIA. In the two games against NDC, the junior shortstop went 5-for-8 with a pair of doubles. He's now batting .429 (45-for-105).
BOEING-SIZE DROUGHT: First baseman #Benji Jarabeck# hit NDC's only home run on the season back on Feb. 27. Since then the Falcons have gone 727 plate appearances without a round-tripper. The Blue & White banged out a program-record 32 home runs in 2010.
