Box Score WINTERHAVEN, Fla. – The Notre Dame Falcons squared off against another tough team in their spring finale on Saturday afternoon, and fell to West Chester, 4-0.
The loss for the Falcons (4-7) was their fourth in a row on their spring trip, but it came against another very good team. West Chester (4-1) like each of NDC's previous two opponents, were ranked in the top-10 in their respective regions, and they rendered the Falcons scoreless on seven hits.
West Chester scored all of their runs in the top of the second inning, while the Falcons squandered a number of chances to score. Notre Dame left eight runners on base, and they hit into a pair of double plays late in the game as well.
Dalton Reed (2-0) scored the win for West Chester, and went the distance in the process. He pitched himself out of trouble a few times, and induced a pair of big double plays in the eighth and ninth innings.
Matt Yates (1-2) took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits over three innings.
Austin Tanfield was excellent in relief for the Falcons, as he tossed six scoreless innings of three-hit relief and he fanned five batters along the way.
Six Falcons hit safely at least once in the contest, and
Nick Ely led the way for Notre Dame with a pair of hits, going 2-for-4, and had NDC's only extra base hit of the day with a double, extending his hitting streak to five games.
TJ Lett,
Danny Beaver,
Keifer Quick,
Julio Rosales and
Travis Smetana all hit safely once.
Quick extended his hitting streak to 11 games while going 1-for-3, and Lett has now hit safely in nine straight games after going 1-for-3.
The Falcons will return to action next Saturday, March 12, when they host Mercyhurst in their home opener at All-Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio. The first pitch in game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.
