Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WASHINGTON, Pa.  – The Notre Dame Falcons nearly took two on the road from one of the top teams in the Mountain East Conference on Thursday evening, and ended with a split with West Liberty at Consol Energy Park.

The Falcons (11-10, 9-7) took the opening contest, 5-2, against the Hilltoppers (15-8, 12-5), before West Liberty scored single runs in the last two innings to come from behind and steal game two.

Game One
The Hilltoppers jumped on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Johnson began the inning with a single to left field, before Jon-Michael Brunner was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out.  A groundout advanced both base runners, and Tim Mirandy's sac fly brought Johnson home to give West Liberty an early 1-0 advantage.

The NDC offense had been limited to just a pair of hits until they put together a three-run rally to take the lead in the top of the sixth inning. T.J. Lett started the inning with a base hit, and Logan Walters laid a sac bunt down to move him to second. Travis Smetana was then plunked by a pitch and Danny Beaver walked to load the bases.  Keifer Quick then stroked a two-run single to give NDC a 2-1 lead, and Shane DeFranco drew a bases loaded free pass later in the inning to cap the inning. 

Notre Dame added a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Walters belted a one out single to center field, then stole second base. Beaver then belted a RBI single to center, and after Quick's single, an error by WLU pitcher Knisley allowed Beaver to score on the play.

Jake Welch (4-1) went the distance for the Falcons, allowing just a pair of runs on only three hits while fanning four to score the victory for NDC.  Sean Pare (0-2) came away with the loss after surrendering three runs on two hits over 5.1 innings of work.

Game Two:
Notre Dame jumped on top 1-0 by scoring their lone run in the top of the first inning.  Smetana reached on third baseman Anthony Pierro's error to start the game. Smetana made his way to second after Beaver's groundout, and Ryan Sanders brought him home on a run scoring double to left.

The NDC offense was limited to just four hits the rest of the way.  West Liberty was held scoreless by NDC starting pitcher Simon Davis, who went 5.2 innings and gave up just a run on three hits. 

West Liberty tied the game in the home half of the sixth inning, when  Jordan Meyer stroked a two-out RBI single to score DJ Busby.  In the seventh, Pierro reached on a one-out single and made his way to third on Justin Cronin's (0-1) error. Brunner followed with the game winning single to bring Pierro home.

Cronin came away with the loss after allowing a run on two hits over two-thirds of an inning, while Brandon Polanksi (1-0) scored the victory after tossing a scoreless inning in relief.

Quick paced the NDC offense with three hits on the afternoon, including a pair in the opener while driving in a couple of runs as well. Sanders didn't play in the first game for the Falcons, but went 2-for-3 in game two, while driving in the only run of the contest.

The Falcons are in action again on Saturday, March 29, when they host Charleston (W.Va.) at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio. The first pitch in game one will be delivered at 1 p.m.