Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- A sixth-inning answer to a Lake Erie comeback in game two netted Notre Dame a split in a twin bill on Wednesday. (Gm-1 | Gm-2)

Notre Dame (10-15-1) hit four home runs over the two games in losing, 16-9, and winning, 8-5.  NDC's win in the second game came after a 5-0 lead had disappeared in a five-run fifth for the Storm (7-10).  The Falcons' victory in the second game spelled the end of a season-long four-game losing streak for the Blue & White.

The Falcons -- which had managed just 16 hits over their previous three games -- banged out 25 hits on the day at Braggs Field.  NDC also hit well in the clutch, going a combined 9-for-24 at the plate with runners in scoring position.  T.J. Deininger, Jesse Bartle, Taylor Neville and Brad Morrison hit home runs for the Falcons

Game One
In the opener, and for a second straight day, Notre Dame pitching and defense yielded a big inning on the way to coughing up 16 runs in a game.  On Tuesday at John Carroll, NDC was victimized by a 10-run eighth inning in a 16-1 loss to the Blue Streaks.

On Wednesday in Painesville, it was the Storm putting together a nine-run inning on their way to an eventual 16-9 victory.

Lake Erie plated runs in every inning but the third and sixth, and the Storm came back from three deficits in the game.  Notre Dame scored first, capitalizing on an LEC error in the opening inning.  The Storm battled back for two in their half of the first.

In the second, the Falcons strung together a walk, two singles and another LEC error to score three and go up, 4-2.  But the Storm again countered, plating a trio of runs in the bottom of the second.  In the third, T.J. Deininger and Jesse Bartle each hit solo home runs to put Notre Dame back on top, 6-5.

But LEC then had its nine-run outburst in the fourth, getting five hits and a pair of walks, mixed in and around multiple NDC miscues.  That big inning gave Lake Erie a 14-6 lead heading into the fifth.  The Storm traded two runs for three the rest of the way.

Junior right-hander Matt Kastelic started for Notre Dame and lasted just 3-2/3 innings, having allowed 10 runs on nine base hits.  Kastelic walked three and struck out five.  The NDC bullpen yielded six runs (five earned) on seven hits.

Lake Erie had 16 hits in the first game -- 13 singles, two doubles and one home run.  The Storm bullpen combined to pitch five innings in the game, allowing just two runs.

Deininger had two hits and as many RBIs in the contest.  Newcomer Eric Napoli -- added to the roster earlier in the day -- went 3-for-3.

Game Two
Junior left-hander Simon Davis started the second game, and Davis was outstanding early on, not allowing a hit until the third.  Notre Dame scored three in the first when Taylor Neville hit a three-run homer, plating Mike Ferguson and Shane DeFranco.

Neither side scored again until the Falcons got two in the fifth.  But Lake Erie stormed back, getting five straight hits off Davis in the fifth.  Overall, LEC had seven hits in the inning; the Storm scored five runs to tie the game, 5-5.

NDC answered the LEC rally with a solo home run by Brad Morrison, an unearned run on a throwing error and then an RBI single by Ferguson in the sixth.  Sean Harnish closed out the 8-5 victory by pitching two scoreless innings.

Ferguson went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in game two.