AVON, Ohio – An absolutely electrifying day on Friday afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium, as Notre Dame College claimed their first two wins of the season. Late game magic was the recipe for the Falcons as NDC walked it off in extra innings against Lake Erie College during both games. In game one, a wild pitch sent the Storm packing 4-3, while in game two, Nick Farrell deposited a grand slam, shutting the door 8-4.
 
In the first inning, Kyle Espineli and Alec Mendoza exchanged back-to-back singles up the middle and advanced into scoring position via a wild pitch, however NDC was unable to convert with runners in scoring position.
 
Lake Erie started the top of the second off with a walk and a single, setting the Storm up with two runners in scoring position with zero outs. Two batters later, LEC cashed in with a two-run RBI single up the middle to take the lead, 2-0.
 
The Storm would add another run in the third after NDC's Austin Mora hit a batter with the bases loaded. Despite the 3-0 deficit, the Falcon ace would regroup and shut down Lake Erie for the remainder of the contest. The redshirt senior pitched a complete game (8.0 IP) for Notre Dame, striking out 11, walking five and surrendering just three hits.
 
It would take until the final out of the contest for Notre Dame to light up the scoreboard, as the Falcons rallied with no one on and two down in the bottom of the seventh inning, to earn their first victory of the 2022 campaign.
 
Michael Zeuli started the comeback with a walk, followed by Shane Mittleman's single to center field, allowing for the tying run to come to the plate. The tying run was reigning All-American Ben Ross, the most lethal bat in the NDC lineup, hitting a team-leading .429 with three home runs entering the day. The redshirt sophomore delivered in the clutch for the Falcons poking a three-run inside-the-park home run through the left center gap, suddenly knotting the game at 3-3.
 
Lake Erie led off extra innings with a walk, but Mora was able to hold the Storm at bay, despite allowing the runner around to third base.
 
During the home half of the eighth, Mendoza led off and reached base by an error on the shortstop. The redshirt sophomore then advanced to second on the throwing error, setting NDC up nicely with no one away. Nate Miller pinch hit and drew a walk, followed by Aaron Miller touching first base safely after an error by the pitcher, to load the bases. Mendoza would score two batters later after a wild pitch, successfully completing Notre Dame's comeback in dramatic fashion. Mora grabbed his first win of the season after he weathered the Storm for eight innings strong.
 
Fast forward 30 minutes to game two of the doubleheader, this time NDC jumped out and grabbed the early lead. In the bottom half of the first, Ben Ross led off with a double to the right field wall. Nick Farrell drew a walk as Alec Mendoza reached on a bunt single to third, quickly loading the bases for Notre Dame with nobody out. Nick Petrolla converted on an RBI after a fielder's choice, pushing the Falcons ahead 1-0.
 
In the next inning, Notre Dame tallied another run after Ross plated Parker Hray with an RBI groundout.
 
Lake Erie responded during the top of the third with an RBI single. Two batters later, the Storm knotted the score at 2-2 after LEC's Graham Solak hit a home run off the left field foul pole.
 
However, during the home half of the inning the Falcons responded with a pair of runs to reopen a two-run lead (4-2). Hray singled through the right side to tally an RBI, plating Nick Petrolla. Michael Zeuli was the very next batter and he too singled, generating an RBI and allowing Tyler Shadle to score.
 
On the other hand, the Storm answered the bell with a pair of runs of their own, tying the score at 4-4 after two RBI ground outs.
 
The scoring would all of the sudden come to a hault and a pitcher's dual would ensue. After Calvin Andringa started the game for NDC (3.1 IP), Alex Dicke came on in relief and tossed 4.2 innings of no-hit baseball. Dicke faced 14 Lake Erie batters and fanned six, walking one and allowing zero runs. Another fabulous outing by the freshman who is quickly becoming head coach Len Barker's favorite arm out of the pen. In fact, Dicke has appeared in three games, pitching 7.1 innings, allowing just one hit and one run.
 
Shadle and Hray led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a pair of walks. Three batters later, it was Ross stepping up to the plate with the game-winning run on third base. Strategically, Lake Erie intentionally walked the All-American to attempt to avoid more of his late-game heroics. The only problem with that strategy is that Nick Farrell was standing in the on-deck circle. Now with the bases loaded and two men away, LEC was forced to pitch to the first baseman. The North Royalton High School product made the Storm pay by jacking a walk-off grand slam over the right field wall, adding an exclamation point to the eventful day inside Mercy Health Stadium.
 
Farrell's hot bat paced NDC on the day with three hits, while Mendoza, Mittleman, Ross and Hray each posted two hits apiece. Farrell and Ross drove in four runs each as Petrolla, Hray and Zeuli also added RBIs. Lastly, the one-two duo of Ross (4) and Farrell (3) added to their team-leading home run totals on the season.
 
Notre Dame College will be back at Mercy Health Stadium on Saturday Mar. 5 with the opportunity for a series sweep of Lake Erie College. The contest is slated for 1:00 p.m. and will be a traditional nine inning game.