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SALEM, Va. -- After an impressive Saturday afternoon in which the Falcons went 3-0 to advance to the Mountain East Conference Semifinals, the Falcons duplicated that performance with another 3-0 day on Sunday. After beating No. 2 Concord in the MEC Semifinals to start the day, the seventh-seeded Falcons swept No. 1 West Virginia Wesleyan in consecutive games to capture the 2015 Mountain East Conference Championship.

Kelsey Coleman hit a game-winning, two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie against WV Wesleyan, and the Falcons held on for a 5-3 win over the Bobcats in the MEC Championship game on Sunday afternoon.

Ashley Hall was named "Most Outstanding Player" of the Tournament after pitching every inning of every game for NDC, leading the Falcons to the MEC Championship victory.

Mountain East Conference Semifinals
Notre Dame 7, Concord 1

The seventh-seeded Falcons defeated the No. 2 seed Concord Mountain Lions 7-1 on Sunday morning to advance to the Mountain East Conference Championship game.

The Falcons jumped on the scoreboard early as Kayla Sidorski hit an RBI single that scored Kelsey Coleman in the top of the first, giving NDC an early 1-0 lead.

Ashley Hall, who pitched all three games on Saturday, returned to the circle for the Falcons and continued to be dominant. Hall retired the Mountain Lions in 1-2-3 order in both the first and second innings, keeping NDC in front 1-0 going into the third inning.

In the bottom of the third, Concord used a solo home run from Jessica Seymour to tie the game at one going into the fourth.

However, the 1-1 tie didn't last long as the Falcons offense immediately backed up Hall with a three-run fourth inning.

Amy Hoover led off the inning with a double to left-center, and Mackenzie Wallace hit a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Anna Myers reached base via error, allowing Hoover to score in the process and giving NDC a 2-1 lead. Brittany Kirwin grounded out to the right side of the infield, allowing Wallace to score, and an RBI single from Coleman pushed the lead to 4-1 going into the bottom of the fourth.

Hall again went 1-2-3 through the Concord lineup in both the fourth and fifth innings, maintaining the 4-1 advantage for the Falcons. 

Maria Vanadia scored in the sixth due to another defensive miscue from Concord, making NDC's lead 5-1. The Falcons also added two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh, and Hall closed out the game from there, leading to NDC's 7-1 win over Concord.

With the win, the Falcons advanced to play top-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan in the Mountain East Conference Championship. Since the Falcons lost their opening game of the Tournament, NDC would need to beat WV Wesleyan to then force another winner-take-all game for the Mountain East Conference Championship.


Mountain East Conference Championship (Game One)
Notre Dame 4, WV Wesleyan 0

In a win-or-go-home game for NDC, the No. 7 seed Falcons squared off with No. 1 seed West Virginia Wesleyan in the first game of the Mountain East Conference Championship. 

For the fourth time in five games this weekend, the Falcons rallied for early offense in the first inning. Kelsey Coleman continued her dominant senior season with a base hit through the left side, sparking NDC early. Kayla Sidorski reached base via error with one out, and a single from Anissa Kotoch loaded the bases.

Continuing to impress at the MEC Tournament, Amy Hoover ripped a two-run single up the middle, scoring Coleman and Sidorski in the process. Mackenzie Wallace followed up with an RBI single of her own, scoring Kotoch from third and giving the Falcons a 3-0 lead after the top of the first.

In the bottom half of the inning, Ashley Hall returned to the circle yet again for the Falcons. And once again, Hall was on top of her game.

Hall mowed through the Bobcats order in the bottom of the first, and continued that effort all game long. 

In the top of the second, NDC tacked on one more run as Kotoch hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Sarah Depp and pushing the Falcons' advantage to 4-0.

Hall worked a scoreless bottom of the second, and repeated that performance throughout the game as the Bobcats' offense had no answers. The senior closed the game out yet again and the Falcons held on for a much-needed 4-0 win over West Virginia Wesleyan, forcing a winner-take-all MEC Championship game between NDC and WVW.

Coleman finished the game 2-for-3 while Kotoch went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Meanwhile, Hall tossed yet another complete game for the Falcons, her fifth consecutive such performance of the MEC Tournament.

Mountain East Conference Championship (Winner-Take-All)
Notre Dame 5, WV Wesleyan 3

Following the theme of early offense, the Falcons again scored in the first inning for the fifth time in their last six games. Kelsey Coleman initiated yet another first inning rally as she hit an infield single to reach base. Nicole Spuhler grounded into a fielders choice, forcing Coleman out at second, before Kayla Sidorski reached base via error to put two runners on.

Anissa Kotoch kept the rally going as she reached base to load the bases for NDC with just one out. Amy Hoover broke the scoreless tie with a single through the left side, scoring Spuhler and giving NDC another first inning lead, 1-0. Mackenzie Wallace then reached via fielders choice and allowed Sidorski to score in the process as the Falcons took a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Falcons again turned to Ashley Hall in the circle. Hall worked a scoreless first inning before retiring the side in order in the second, keeping NDC in front with a 2-0 lead.

However, offense became stagnant for both sides as Hall and WVW's Hannah Vet went back-and-forth in a pitchers duel.

The Falcons maintained their 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Bobcats put together a mini rally of their own. WVW's Brooklyn Waddell hit a leadoff double to spark a two-run inning for the Bobcats, tying the game 2-2 going into the seventh inning.

With the score tied at two in the final inning of the MEC Championship game, NDC searched for late-game heroics. The Falcons started the inning with consecutive outs, but a single from Maria Vanadia kept the inning alive. After Allison Smith came on to pinch run, a pinch-hit single from Brittany Kirwin put runners on first and second for the Falcons.

With NDC desperately needing a clutch hit to break the 2-2 tie, Kelsey Coleman came to the plate for the Falcons. Coleman ripped a clutch, two-run double to center field that scored Smith and Kirwin, breaking the tie and giving the Falcons a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning.

But the Falcons weren't done yet. Sidorski hit an RBI single through the right side to score Coleman, and the Falcons led 5-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

Holding a three-run lead and just three outs away from being Mountain East Conference Champions, Ashley Hall returned to the circle to close out another win for the Falcons. After forcing a fly-out to Spuhler at shortstop, Hall allowed a solo home run to WVW's Morgan Bruce, cutting NDC's lead to 5-3.

However, Hall quickly regrouped and closed out the game, leading the Falcons to a 5-3 win while winning the 2015 Mountain East Conference Championship.

Hall finished the game with yet another complete game, throwing seven innings while scattering seven hits and allowing just three runs. Hall finished the weekend having pitched every inning of every game for the Falcons in the MEC Tournament, and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.