CEDARVILLE, Ohio -- For the better part of a month, Notre Dame pitching has carried a team that came into the weekend playing .700 baseball. On Saturday in Cedarville, though, Falcon hurlers were rocked for 22 hits and 19 runs as the Yellow Jackets swept NDC in a doubleheader. (Gm-1 | Gm-2)

Cedarville (21-7, 3-1 American Mideast) rallied from a three-run deficit to take the opener, 6-4. The Yellow Jackets then throttled the Falcons, 13-5, in game two to claim victory in the two-day, four-game series (NDC and CU split two games in Lorain, Ohio, on Friday.) The games were the first four in American Mideast Conference play for both teams.

Notre Dame (18-9, 1-3) -- owner of a 3.97 team ERA coming into Saturday -- was tagged for 18 earned runs on the day. The Blue & White had given up just 10 earned runs over their previous 10 games combined.

“It's disappointing to lose the series in this fashion,” said Coach #Nick Weisheipl#. “But our pitchers had been carrying us. We need to get all phases of our game clicking now that conference play is underway.”

Notre Dame struck first in the opening game, denting the plate three times on two doubles and a single in the top of the second. Starter #Tyler DeCrapio# would hold that three-run advantage until the bottom of the fourth when the Yellow Jackets evened the score at 3-3. Cedarville registered a pair of doubles in their three-run outburst.

The 3-3 tie was broken in the fourth when Cedarville strung together three singles, two hit batsmen and a walk to score three. Those six runs would be enough for CU starter T.J. Taylor, who went six innings allowing four runs on six hits. NDC scored a solo run in the sixth to close out the scoring. DeCrapio allowed six runs on as many hits; he pitched 4-1/3 innings.

In the nightcap, the Yellow Jackets pounced early on starter #Andrew Hyde# who struggled with his control, walking four batters en route to falling behind, 6-0, over the first two innings. Cedarville rapped three extra-base hits over those two frames, including a two-run home run by first baseman Nate Davenport# in the second inning.

Hyde exited the game after two innings, having yielded eight base runners and six runs. His opposite number -- freshman righty David Ledbetter -- went the distance in dealing NDC the eventual 13-5 loss. Ledbetter fanned eight and induced 10 groundball outs in the game. Notre Dame scored its five runs over the fourth and fifth innings.

The Falcon bullpen was tagged with seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over innings three through six.

The NDC offense was led Saturday by senior first baseman #Benji Jarabeck#, who went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs.

Notre Dame's next game day is scheduled for Thursday, April 7, when the Falcons travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio, to take on the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars. NDC will then host MVNU on April 9.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

STINGING SENSATION: With its double-dip sweep on Saturday, Cedarville has now won eight of its last nine games. … CU's 3-1 series win levels the all-time series between the Yellow Jackets and Falcons at eight wins apiece. … The Yellow Jackets outhit the Falcons, 38-26, in the series. CU's batting line was .319/.393/.471 (batting/on-base/slugging).

THWARTING THE MEN OF STEAL: Notre Dame was held to an 0-for-2 mark in the stolen-base department over its four games with Cedarville. Over the previous six games, the Falcons had stolen 14 bases in 14 attempts. … Sophomore left fielder #Pat Ross# is NDC's leading base-stealer thus far in 2011. Ross has swiped 11 bases in 13 attempts.

DROUGHT CONTINUES: First baseman Benji Jarabeck hit NDC's only home run on the season back on Feb. 27. Since then the Falcons have gone 788 plate appearances without a round-tripper. The Blue & White banged out a program-record 32 home runs in 2010.