SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame College split their non-conference double-header with Walsh University on Wednesday afternoon, losing game one, 5-2, and winning game two, 5-4, in eight innings.

With the win, the Falcons (16-19 overall) snapped their five game losing streak. They are now 9-8 against non-conference foes, this season. The Cavaliers (9-24) are now 1-5 on the road following the split of the double-header. They are 2-12 over their last 14 games.

Game 1

Notre Dame struggled to get runs across the plate early on in the day. They stranded runners on second and third base in the first inning.

Neither team put a run on the board until the top of the fourth inning. Jenna Head hit her first of two home runs in the game, to center field. Leading 1-0, Walsh added another run in the fifth inning when Leah Roten reached on an error by second baseman, Shelby Stephens, which allowed Nikki Newman to score.

In the sixth inning, Abbey Yaugher walked and Head followed her by hitting another home run, giving WU a 4-0 lead.  Later in the inning, they added a fifth run, as Abby Reusser singled to center field, scoring Kendra Moore. The Falcons responded with a run in the bottom of the inning as Maria Vanadia hit a solo homer, her third of the season.

NDC did threaten in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, the Falcons had runners on second and third base before Emily Kusmits popped out to third base. Sarah Depp singled to center field to score a run and cut the deficit to three runs. However, Notre Dame stranded runners on first and third base.

For Notre Dame, Amy Hoover had two hits. In the pitching circle, Taylor Olson (9-10) picked up the loss as she started and went six innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits.

The Cavaliers' Roten and Head had two hits, while Moore added three hits. Their starting pitcher, Olivia Pifer (5-13), got the win as she went seven innings, allowing two runs and only one earned run.

Game 2
Walsh jumped on the board in the first inning, as Kirsten Reed doubled with two outs to score, both, Leah Roten from second and Jenna Head from first. In the bottom of the inning, the Falcons cut the deficit in half. With two outs, Erin Calhoun reached on an error by the shortstop, Roten, allowing Emily Kusmits to score from third base.

Walsh was leading a run, 2-1, until the bottom of the sixth inning. Calhoun led off with a single to right field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Amy Hoover. Myranda Rowland came on as a pinch hitter and ran to third on a Shelby Stephens single. Taylor Stoltz reached on a fielder's choice, which plated Rowland to tie the game.

A runner was placed on second base for the Cavaliers to start the eighth inning, with the softball extra inning rules in effect. With two outs, Annie Woolf knocked a ball over the center field fence, giving WU a 4-2 lead.

NDC worked their way back into the game as Rishauntia Belgon was placed on second base. She moved to third base on a groundout. Calhoun was then hit by a pitch and Hoover reached on a fielder's choice to third base, and everyone was safe. Shelby Stephens then doubled to left center, allowing two runs to score, tying the game. With Hoover on third base, Kuula threw a wild pitch, allowing the Falcons to score the winning run.

"(Kuula) was throwing inside a lot and I just wanted to get in the count early instead of waiting," Stephens mentioned, while talking about the big hit. "She pitched me an inside ball and I just happened to turn on it."

Stephens had two hits and two RBI for the Falcons. Emily Kusmits (6-4) was given the win after she went eight innings, allowing four runs, on eight hits.

Kuula (4-8) was the losing pitcher for Walsh, as she pitched 7.1 innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits. Both, Yasmine Rivera and Reed went 3-for-3 in the game.

"I think we were a little more tense in game one," head coach Amy Kyler said. "In game two, we just focused on being relaxed and enjoying ourselves."

The Falcons will battle the University of Charleston on Friday, April 14, at home. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.