Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
URBANA, Ohio -- Concluding a three-day, six-game road trip throughout West Virginia and Ohio, the Falcons made their final stop in Urbana to take on the host Blue Knights in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader. Timely hitting and impressive pitching ultimately helped the Falcons sweep the Blue Knights, winning 8-2 in game one and 6-4 in game two.

GAME ONE
Notre Dame 8, Urbana 2

Nicole Spuhler led the way offensively for NDC as she recorded four of the 11 hits for the Falcons in game one.

Spuhler's first hit of the game came with NDC trailing 1-0 in the second inning, where she doubled to center field to score Anna Myers from second and tie the game at one. Spuhler later advanced to third on a fielders choice, and went on to score after Maria Vanadia reached base via error, giving NDC a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the third inning, Mackenzie Wallace reached base via bunt single, and then advanced to second on an illegal pitch. Kayla Sidorski then grounded out to third base, but it was a productive out as Wallace was able to advance to third base. Myers then grounded out to third as well, again allowing Wallace to advance and score, making the lead 3-1 over Urbana.

Urbana responded with three hits and one run in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 3-2, but the Falcons again pushed back.

In the top of the fourth, Vanadia worked a one-out walk to spark the offense. Amy Hoover then singled to right field, and an Urbana error eventually loaded the bases for the Falcons. With two outs and the bases loaded, Sidorski ripped a single to right field to score both Vanadia and Hoover, pushing the Falcons' lead to 5-2.

Continuing a strong pitching performance, Ashley Pokraka held the Blue Knights scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, and NDC's offense backed her up once again in the seventh.

The Falcons scored three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, sparked by a one-out single from Spuhler. Kelsey Coleman highlighted the inning with a two-run single as the Falcons tacked on three more in total. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Pokraka completed the game by shutting down the Blue Knights lineup to secure the 8-2 win over Urbana.

GAME TWO
Notre Dame 6, Urbana 4

The Falcons scored early and often in game two, starting in the top of the first inning.

After Kelsey Coleman was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, Mackenzie Wallace put down a sacrifice bunt but reached base via error, giving NDC two on with no outs. With two outs and two on for the Falcons still, Nicole Spuhler smacked a double down the right field line to improve to 5-for-5 on the day and score both runners, giving NDC a 2-0 lead. 

After Wallace worked through the Blue Knights' lineup in the bottom of the first, the Falcons went back to work in the top of the second.

Tayler Graver and Maria Vanadia both walked consecutively to start the second, and Coleman later hit an RBI single to score Graver and make the lead 3-0 over Urbana.

However, the Blue Knights fought back with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to cut into the Falcons' lead, 3-2. NDC scored again in the top of the third via an RBI double from Graver, making the score 4-2.

Once again, Urbana cut into the Falcons' lead. Three hits by the Blue Knights and one error by the Falcons led to a tie game, 4-4, at the end of three innings.

Ashley Hall came on to pitch at the start of the fourth inning, and immediately dialed in for a successful day with a scoreless frame. 

Kayla Sidorski led off the fifth inning with a walk, but consecutive outs seemed to dim a Falcons rally. However, Sarah Depp earned a walk and Graver picked up another hit, this time a single, to load the bases with two outs. With the score tied at four, Vanadia hit a grounder to second base, but a defensive miscue allowed Vanadia to reach first while Sidorski and Depp scored in the process, taking a 6-4 lead.

Hall continued a dominant relief outing in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to shut the door on the Blue Knights. Hall finished the game having allowed just three hits in four innings, striking out six in the process, to help lead the Falcons to the 6-4 win over Urbana.

The Falcons will next compete on Thursday, April 2 at home against Davis & Elkins College. Game one is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.