AVON, OH — NDC Baseball takes the four-game series against Frostburg State University with three wins over the weekend.
The first game of the series started with a home run by redshirt freshman Ben Ross to give the Falcons an initial advantage. In the top of the third inning, the Bobcats pulled ahead by scoring two runs on a ground out with runners in scoring position, and a single. In the bottom of the third inning, Notre Dame took the lead back by scoring two runs, and piled on with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings. They won the game with a final score of 7-2. Austin Mora earned the win, throwing a complete game and giving up two hits and two walks while earning seven strikeouts. Ross ended up with his first four hits (four at-bats) with two doubles, two RBIs, and a home run.
They won the second game with a final score of 8-7, coming back from a 7-2 lead to win in walk-off fashion. The offense combined for 11 hits, and five Falcons hit a double against Frostburg State. Four pitchers pitched in the game, with Hayden Parker getting the start and pitching the first two innings. Patrick Burke came in and pitched three innings in relief, before Bryan Benedict and Kevin Guzik both pitched an inning. Guzik is credited with the win. The staff combined for five strikeouts.
They added the third win in the first game on Sunday. The Falcons got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, and added two more in the second. All scoring hits were singles. Frostburg added their first run in the top of the fourth, and an inning later a home run scored their second run. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Nick Petrolla singled down the right field line scoring Nick Farrell, and the Falcons won 7-2. Brady Biglin pitched a complete game, giving up two hits and four walks and earning just as many strikeouts.
Frostburg State won the last game of the series. They were tied heading into the second inning until Frostburg State added two runs to go up with a score of 3-1. In the bottom half of the inning the Falcons added one run with an Austin Mora single up the middle, and an inning later Jacob Fonderlin hit a two-run homer to left-center field to tie the game. In the top of the fourth, Frostburg State hit back-to-back home runs to take the lead back, 6-4. Ben Ross hit his second home run of the series in the bottom half of the inning, and with runners in scoring position, the Falcons gained a one-run advantage when Nick Petrolla singled up the middle. Frostburg State was able to score four more runs, though, and the Falcons lost 10-8. NDC pitched by committee in the last game of the series, too, earning nine strikeouts as a staff.
Nick Farrell also had a good weekend, going 8-15 at the plate with three walks. He scored eight runs and drove in three on two doubles and a home run.
Jacob Fonderlin went 7-14 at the plate and scored six runs while driving in eight runs. He hit two doubles and a home run.
Matt Richards went 5-11 and scored a run and drove in two runs on three doubles.
Ben Ross finished 8-13 at the plate in the series with three walks, scoring nine runs himself and drove in five on three doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Ross has posted a batting average of .432 so far with 54 hits, 17 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 18 walks, and just 18 strikeouts in his freshman season.
NDC has one last series in the regular season series, starting at home on Friday and finishing this upcoming weekend against Alderson Broaddus. Heading into those games, the Falcons stand at an overall record of 15-21, and a conference record of 12-16. Alderson Broaddus is ahead of them in the standings, so this one's a big one.
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