LORAIN, Ohio -- Notre Dame dropped to six games under .500 in American Mideast Conference play with a costly sweep at the hands of the Malone Pioneers on Friday. (Gm-1 | Gm-2)

The Falcons (19-15, 2-8 AMC) were shutout in both ends of a twin bill at the Pipe Yard; the two games marked the front half of a two-day, four-game, home-and-home series with Malone (27-15, 5-5). NDC lost the opener, 1-0, when MU plated an unearned run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. The Pioneers then capped off the doubleheader sweep with a 2-0 victory in game two. With the two losses, Notre Dame has dropped four games in a row and eight of its last nine.

Tyler Newhart and Jared Messer each pitched complete-game shutouts for Malone, which has now won seven of its last nine. The Falcons committed four costly errors of the course of the two games which were played in high winds with a wind chill in the high 30s. Newhart and Messer outdueled #Simon Davis# and #Chris Miller# who combined to allow just nine hits and one walk over 14 innings. The two teams combined to go just 2-for-23 with runners in scoring position (NDC 0-for-12, MU 2-for-11) over the defensive battles in Lorain.

First baseman #Benji Jarabeck# went 3-for-5 with two doubles on the day to lead what has been a struggling offense for Notre Dame. The Falcons have scored just 13 runs over their last seven games.

The Blue & White will try to work their way out of that slump beginning with Saturday's twin bill at Malone (Canton, Ohio, 1 p.m.).


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

RISP-Y BUSINESS: Over its four-game losing streak, Notre Dame has gone 4-for-32 with runners in scoring position. The Falcons went 0-for-7 in such situations in Friday's opener and 0-for-5 in the nightcap.

PIPE DREAM: Friday's double-dip in Lorain marked the Falcons' final two games this season at the Pipe Yard. NDC went 5-3 in eight games at the home of the Lorain County Ironmen. NDC is slated to play five more home games this season -- all five will be at All-Pro Stadium in Avon, Ohio.

DAVIS DOES IT AGAIN: With his seven innings of one-run ball (no earned runs), Simon Davis lowered his season ERA to 0.88. The sophomore southpaw has allowed just five earned runs in 51-1/3 innings of work.