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Box Score 2 SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Playing their final home contests of the 2015 season, the Notre Dame College softball team hosted the visiting Urbana Blue Knights in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Normandy Field. The Falcons fought for a come-from-behind victory in game one, 11-9, before falling short in game two, 8-0.
GAME ONENotre Dame 11, Urbana 9The Falcons came out of the gate firing in the first inning as
Kelsey Coleman led off with a solo home run to give NDC the early 1-0 lead. However, the Falcons weren't done there.
Following Coleman's home run,
Mackenzie Wallace reached base via error and
Kayla Sidorski doubled down the left field line, putting two runners in scoring position. An RBI single from
Amy Hoover scored Wallace, and Sidorski came around to score via RBI groundout from
Nicole Paolucci.
Maria Vanadia also had a hand in the scoring frenzy, hitting an RBI single to center field that scored Hoover, and the Falcons led 4-0 after the first inning.
However, a two-run home run in the top of the second from Urbana'a Sierra Cronkleton cut into the Falcons lead, making the score 4-2 after two innings.
After both teams went scoreless in the third inning, the Blue Knights put together a four-run fourth inning, again keyed by a three-run home run from Cronkleton, and took a 6-4 lead over NDC. Urbana also scored one run in the top of the fifth, extending their lead to 7-4 before the Falcons came to bat in the bottom of the fifth.
Hoover led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, and advanced to second on a passed ball.
Nicole Spuhler then ripped an RBI double to left center, and the Falcons trailed just 7-5 with no outs.
Tayler Graver was hit by a pitch and reached base to put runners on first and second for NDC.
Maria Vanadia then reached base, loading the bases for pinch hitter
Brittany Kirwin.
With the bases loaded and no outs still, Kirwin walked and Hoover scored from third as the Falcons cut the deficit to just one, 7-6. Keeping the rally going, Coleman hit a two-run single that scored Graver and Vanadia and put the Falcons back on top, 8-7. Batting in the 3-4 spots, Sidorski and
Anissa Kotoch each smacked RBI singles to tack on more runs for the Falcons, who scored seven total runs in the fifth.
At the end of five innings, the Falcons led the Blue Knights 11-7.
Urbana came back with a rally in the sixth inning, scoring two runs in the inning, but
Rachelle Miller buckled down and escaped the jam, keeping NDC in the lead, 11-9.
Miller allowed a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, but again persevered and retired the next three batters to seal an 11-9 victory for the Falcons.
GAME TWOUrbana 8, Notre Dame 0 (6 innings)Game two of Tuesday's doubleheader was not as kind to the Falcons, as the Blue Knights won 8-0 over NDC.
Kelsey Coleman finished the game 2-for-3, including a single up the middle in her final at-bat at Normandy Field.
Mackenzie Wallace also went 2-for-3 for the Falcons in game two.
NDC will return to action on Saturday, April 25 on the road at Glenville State. Game one of the MEC doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
