SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame College's pitching allowed just two runs in two games against Gannon University, on Monday, while the NDC offense put up a combined eight runs. The Falcons ended the day with a double-header sweep, winning the first game 5-0 and the second by a score of 3-2.
In the first game of the day, senior
Taylor Olson was dominant in the pitcher's circle. She allowed only three baserunners to reach scoring position and just seven total hits. Olson also struck out a career-high 12 hitters in the game, which is also second most in a game in NDC history.
"They are a tough team, so I was just trying to get ahead in counts, attack batters and waste pitches once I got up in the count," Olson said.
The only inning that featured offense was the bottom of the fourth. Facing Gannon's Kennedy DeMatteis, freshman
Emily Marsh led off the inning and was hit by a pitch and senior
Mikaela Fording followed that with a double. Sophomore
Mya Wright brought in two runs with a single down the right field line. Three batters later, junior
Alexi Maciejowski came to the plate with bases loaded and singled in a run. Junior
Lexi Rehm had an RBI single to center field and the fifth run scored when senior
McKenzie Zigmont reached on a fielder's choice.
"Offensively, we're stringing our hits together and growing as a team everyday," head coach
Kelsey Stopp said. "And going into conference play, we're gaining that confidence that we needed. Having three wins in a row feels really good. The team did really well today and they had a lot of energy."
Junior
Daniele Rivera, Rehm and Fording totaled two hits, each.
In game two, Notre Dame's offense did all their damage in one inning, again. Freshman
McKenzie Anderson walked to start the bottom of the third inning, and then stole second base. She scored on a single by senior
Katelyn Rheude. With runners on first and third, Olson came up and hit an RBI single to left. Marsh also singled to left field, scoring the third run of the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Gannon responded with a run. A walk and a sacrifice bunt put Jules Ryan on second base. Lyndsey Lakatos then knocked her in with a single to left.
The score remained 3-1 until the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Kristina DeMatteis homered to left field to cut the deficit to one run, 3-2. But freshman
Chloe Vance closed the game with a two inning save, the first of her career.
Rheude and Rehm both had two hits in the second game. Zigmont earned her second win of the season by pitching five innings, allowing just one run and striking out five.
"Our pitchers have really shown up the past two days," Stopp said. "T.O. [Olson] came in and threw extremely well, I'm proud of her.
McKenzie Zigmont threw incredible and we brought in the freshman Chloe [Vance] to shut it down. It worked out perfectly and I'm extremely proud of them."
Notre Dame will travel to West Liberty University to play their first conference matchup of the season, on March 20. The first game of the double-header is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
