SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame College took down No. 12 West Virginia Wesleyan College, 4-1 in game one and 7-5 in game two to complete their first conference double-header sweep of the season.

The Falcons (13-14 overall, 5-7 MEC) are now 3-0 versus nationally ranked opponents this season, with the other win coming against Grand Valley State University on March 5. With the losses, the Bobcats (21-5, 9-3 MEC) saw their four game winning streak come to an end. They had lost one game against conference opponents before losing twice to the Falcons.

Game 1

Through the first five innings of the game, both pitchers were nearly unhittable. Hannah Vet started in the pitcher's circle for WV Wesleyan and retired the first 12 that she faced and was perfect through four innings before Maria Vanadia singled to start the bottom of the fifth. Taylor Olson, Notre Dame's starter, had allowed three hits and walked one, after four innings.

In the top of the sixth inning, Sara Scoone singled and then Marilyn Maas pinch ran for her. Later in the inning, with Maas on second, Jessica Rodriguez doubled to center field. Maas went to third base on Rodriguez' hit, but then scored on an error when the throw home went through the legs of Vanadia, the Falcons' catcher.

NDC responded in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shelby Stephens led off with a ground-rule double and Emily Kusmits followed with a single. With runners on first and third, Sarah Depp laid down a bunt that was thrown home, allowing Depp to reach on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, a run scored via a fielder's choice off the bat of Vanadia. Erin Calhoun, Perris Stevens and Halli Swiger all had RBIs in the inning for the Falcons who scored four times.

For Notre Dame, Olson (8-6) was given the win after going seven innings, allowing one run, on six hits. Six different hitters in the NDC order had a hit.

When speaking about her start, Olson said, "No, I wasn't nervous, I was having a good day. My riser ball was working to get pop outs and my change up caught them off guard for ground outs."

Vet (10-1) went six innings, but was saddled with her first loss of the season as she gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits. She struck out eight hitters. Rodriguez had two hits in the game.

Game 2

Unlike the first game, both teams got on the scoreboard early. Wesleyan scored three runs in the top of the second inning, as Morgan Bruce hit a lead-off home run to left field. Later in the inning, with runners on first and third, Taylor Barnett singled down the right field line to score two more.

The Falcons started to chip away at the Bobcats lead, in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Halli Swiger singled and then Shelby Stephens doubled to left field, scoring Swiger.

With bases loaded for Notre Dame, in the third inning, Amy Hoover hit an RBI single, Perris Stevens doubled to left field to score three runs, and then Halli Swiger put two more runs on the board with her first home run of the year, a two-run shot to center field. The Falcons were up 7-3 at the end of the third inning.

The Bobcats added two runs in the sixth inning, but could not put together a major comeback threat against NDC's pitching.

Notre Dame's starting pitcher, Taylor Olson went 1.1 innings and allowed three runs. Emily Kusmits (4-3) came on in relief and pitched 5.2 innings, two runs, one earned, on six hits. She picked up the win. Erin Calhoun had three hits while Nicole Luciano, Swiger and Stephens all had two hits.

For West Virginia Wesleyan, Sayaka Foley (7-3) picked up the loss as she started and pitched 2.1 innings, allowing four runs. Alyssa Shawgo did not record an out as the relief pitcher gave up three runs on four hits. Olivia Gore and Krista Waggoner both had two hits.

After the double-header, NDC head coach Amy Kyler said, "We were the underdogs and we expected them to take us lightly. We made adjustments, pitchers started ahead and we finally strung hits together."

The Falcons will play Glenville State College, tomorrow, April 2, at home. First pitch, for game one of the double-header, is scheduled for 1 p.m.