GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Notre Dame College struggled to get the offense going in game one, falling to West Virginia Wesleyan College, 4-0, and then let an early lead slip away in game two, falling by a score of 8-6.
West Virginia Wesleyan (17-8, 10-2 MEC) struck initially in the first inning when Lauryn King knocked in two RBI with a home run. The Bobcats would add a second run in the second inning, when Brittani Bible led off with a solo bomb.
WVWC tacked on another run in the fifth inning, while Notre Dame (9-16, 5-7 MEC) was held to two hits in the game.
Freshman
Mikayla Grajczyk pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief for Notre Dame, allowing only one run.
King had two hits and two RBI for WVWC while Hannah Vet (12-3) pitched seven innings and picked up the win.
In game two, NDC grabbed the lead with a four run third inning. With two runners in scoring position, junior
Erin Calhoun singled to score one run and then freshman
Kim Crookston brought in three runs, with a home run.
The Bobcats wasted no time, and snagged the lead in the bottom of the third. A two run double by Aylin Gutierrez tied the game at four and then a two run shot off the bat of Bible gave WVWC a 6-4 advantage.
In the fourth inning, the Falcons got it started with two runs, with an RBI single by junior
Shelby Stephens and then a groundball by Crookston which resulted in an error. The game was tied at six, heading into the bottom of the fourth.
West Virginia Wesleyan responded again on an RBI single by Sara Scoone, putting WVWC up 7-6. A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth, gave the Bobcats a run of insurance.
NDC could not rally back in the top of the seventh inning and lost 8-6.
Senior
Amy Hoover led off for Notre Dame and went 2-for-3 with two runs score. Stephens also had two hits while Crookston added four RBI.
Madison Castro and Gutierrez each had three hits for West Virginia Wesleyan. Four players in the lineup had two RBI. Kelley Bourne (1-0) earned the win by going 3 2/3 innings in the pitching circle, allowing no hits and striking out three hitters.
Notre Dame will play at home for the first time this season when they battle Mercyhurst University on April 3. The double-header is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.