AVON, Ohio - Despite falling in the first game 9-1 against West Liberty, the Notre Dame College baseball team proved they could play with the conference leaders in game two by winning 6-2 to not only split on the day, but on the weekend with each team winning two games. 

In game one, the Hilltoppers took advantage of free bases from NDC as six players reach first base on walks and six more earned trips after being hit by a pitch. The Falcons also allowed seven stolen bases in the first game with Coby Eckstein, who scored two runs, leading the visitors with three.

Ricky Phillips drove in the lone run on a single to center field in the sixth inning. 

In game two, the Falcons responded with five steals of their own which helped them score five runs in the first five innings and secure a 6-2 victory. Head coach Len Barker was pleased with his team's performance and how they measure up against their competition over the weekend. 

"Our team never gives up; they battle," Barker said. "Even though we got down in the first game, they came back and played hard in the second game. There are a lot of teams that would have just shut down and lost that second game, but they came back and put runs on the board right away to take [West Liberty] out of the game. It shows you what kind of team we have."

Earning the win on the mound for NDC was junior Jeff Stover who is now 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA. In five game appearances this season, the right hander has given up just four earned runs. Were the season to end today, Stover would have the best ERA of any starter with at least five game appearances in NDC history. 

Stover made his first appearance of the year in the Falcons' ninth game against Findlay on March 8 in an 8-7 loss. Stover threw one inning in that game, giving up one hit and striking out one batter. The Wadsworth, Ohio native said he's happy with where he's at in this point of the season after making his first start six days prior on April 3. 

"It's fantastic," Stover said. "My arm feels great. I'm just going to keep working to make sure my arm stays where it's at right now."

Stover shared his coach's enthusiasm with the way the Falcons played this weekend against a West Liberty team that was 11-1 before coming to play at Sprenger Stadium. 

"They came out with one conference loss so it feels good as the underdog to come out and get some wins against a good team and prove that we can play," Stover said.

Offensively, Barker switched things up in game two moving Austin Barnhart to the two-hole, up seven spots from his normal place in the lineup. It paid off as Barnhart drove in the first run of the game in the third inning. Later in the third, he scored the second run off a double from TJ Lett. 

Five NDC players recorded RBIs in the second game as Matt Seekins led the team with two, both coming off sacrifice flies.

Notre Dame will play next at home against No. 4 Mercyhurst on Tuesday, April 11. The game at Sprenger Stadium in Avon, Ohio is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.