Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
URBANA, Ohio -- Playing on the road for the first time this month, the Notre Dame College softball team stayed in-state as they traveled to take on the host Urbana Blue Knights on Wednesday afternoon. The Falcons lost game one of the Mountain East Conference doubleheader, 7-5, before escaping with a 7-3 win in game two.

GAME ONE
Urbana 7, Notre Dame 5

Offense started early for the Falcons as Mackenzie Wallace reached base via error, and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position for NDC.

A sacrifice bunt from Nicole Spuhler advanced Wallace to third, and a base hit from Shelby Stephens gave the Falcons the early 1-0 lead as Wallace scored on the play. The run-scoring hit gave Stephens her team-leading 22nd RBI of the season.

However, Urbana scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-1 lead over NDC.

In the third inning, Stephens again sparked the Falcons offense as she roped a one-out triple to right-center. Maria Vanadia singled to center field, scoring Stephens in the process, tying the score at 2-2 midway through the third.

Once again, the Blue Knights used a two-run inning to take the lead over NDC, 4-2, through three innings.

Amy Hoover led off the fourth inning with a single, and an error by Urbana allowed Wallace to reach base as two Falcons sat in scoring position with just one out. Spuhler again proved clutch, smoking a two-run double to left field to score both runners and tie the game at 4-4.

Stephens stayed hot at the plate, hitting another RBI single to score Spuhler and give the Falcons a 5-4 lead in the fourth. The Falcons' lead was short-lived as the Blue Knights scored once in the bottom of the fourth, tying the score at 5-5 going into the fifth.

A scoreless fifth inning led to the sixth inning, where the host Blue Knights scored two runs to take a 7-5 lead over the Falcons. NDC attempted a comeback effort in the seventh, but fell short as the Falcons fell by a final mark of 7-5 in game one.

GAME TWO
Notre Dame 7, Urbana 3 

Following the same theme from game one, offense started early for both sides as the Falcons and Blue Knights each scored one run in the first inning. NDC's Maria Vanadia smacked a first-inning RBI single that scored Mackenzie Wallace.

Ashley Pokraka tossed a strong effort for the Falcons, allowing just one batter to reach base in the second and third innings combined.

After Pokraka did her job in the circle, NDC's offense backed her with another run in the fourth inning. Erin Calhoun hit a leadoff single to start the inning, and later came around to score via sacrifice fly from Amy Hoover, giving NDC a 2-1 lead.

Urbana responded with one run of their own in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score once again, 2-2.

The Falcons offense then stepped into high-gear, separating themselves from the Blue Knights with a two-run fifth inning. Maria Vanadia hit a RBI double to score Stephens, making the score 3-2, before Anna Myers hit a sacrifice fly of her own, scoring Vanadia and giving NDC a 4-2 lead.

Pokraka worked around one hit in the bottom half of the inning, holding the 4-2 lead for NDC through five.

In the top of the sixth, the Falcons' offense continued to produce.

After consecutive outs to start the inning, Wallace and Nicole Spuhler each earned base hits to spark the Falcons. Stephens reached base via error, and both runners came around to score as the Falcons' opened up a 7-3 lead over Urbana in the sixth.

From there, Pokraka continued to mow down the Blue Knights' batters and led NDC to a 7-3 victory in game two. The senior pitcher tossed a complete game effort, allowing just two earned runs in the process to pick up her sixth win of the season. 

With the doubleheader split, the Falcons now stand at 11-24 overall, including a 5-12 mark in MEC play. 

The Falcons return to action on Saturday, April 9 on the road at Charleston University in another MEC doubleheader. Game times are scheduled for 2 pm and 4 pm.