This Week: Notre Dame College will travel to Malone University on Wednesday Apr. 20 for a nine-inning non-conference bout beginning at noon. The Falcons will then host Wheeling University at Mercy Health Stadium for a four-game series within the MEC North Division. A doubleheader will be played on Saturday and Sunday Apr. 23-24 with first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m. on both days.
 
Records: Notre Dame begins the week at 18-19 (13-7 MEC) and seated in third place in the MEC North Division. Malone is currently 13-23 (4-15 GMAC), while Wheeling is 12-22 (8-10 MEC) and in fifth place in the MEC North Division.
 
Coaches Corner: Len Barker is in his 11^th season at the helm of the NDC baseball program for the 2022 season. Barker has a career record of 218-262. Tom Crank is in his 18^th season as head coach of Malone University with 537 career victories. Ryan Lewicki is in his fourth season with the Wheeling University baseball program.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Poll.
 
Series History: NDC is 10-30 all-time when facing Malone University, since their first meeting in 2005 and including their most recent meeting in 2018. The Falcons are 19-11 all-time when squaring up against Wheeling, since their first meeting in 2012.
 
Noting the Falcons: Last week, Notre Dame posted a 3-2 outing with a non-conference win over Mercyhurst (8-7) on Tuesday before splitting their four-game weekend series with Fairmont State. NDC took the first two from FSU 11-1 and 9-7, before falling 5-4 in eight innings and 5-3 in the series finale. The long ball was the recipe for success during this week for Notre Dame as Ben Ross' grand slam against the Lakers on Tuesday was the difference maker, followed by a pair of four-home run games by NDC on Saturday. Alec Mendoza, Nick Farrell and Ross knocked back-to-back-to-back home runs in game one, before N. Farrell and Ross exchanged back-to-back homers in game two.
 
The aforementioned Ross leads Notre Dame on offense in every major offensive category except on-base percentage where he ranks second. The shortstop posts a .381 batting average, 1.198 OPS, .769 slugging percentage, .429 on base percentage, 51 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 40 RBIs, 103 total bases and 34 runs scored. Amongst the Mountain East Conference, the redshirt sophomore is 11^th in batting average, sixth in OPS, third in slugging percentage, second in total hits, fifth in doubles, tied for eighth in triples, second in home runs, tied for second in RBIs and second in total bases.
 
Other Falcons such as Kyle Espineli, N. Farrell, Michael Zeuli and Mendoza have also aided the NDC offense this season with impressive numbers. Espineli is second on the team in batting average (.346), third in OPS (.915), slugging percentage (.500) and on-base percentage (.415), while being second in doubles (11) and tied for fourth in RBIs (14). Next, N. Farrell has enjoyed the fourth best batting average on the team (.313) and the second most hits (40), while providing the power with the second most home runs (8), third most RBIs (25), second best OPS (.944) and slugging percentage (.555). As of late, Zeuli has been on fire, now with the third best batting average on the team (.315) and the top on-base percentage (.460). Lastly, Mendoza has provided the second most RBIs (31) and third most hits (37) this season.
 
On the mound, the trio of Austin Mora, Alex Dicke and Kyle Farrell have been tasked with the bulk of the starting duties this season with Mora leading the way as the Falcon's ace. The redshirt senior has amassed a team leading 56.1 innings pitched this year to go with a .228 opponent batting average, and a team-high 55 strikeouts. Dicke has grown into the number two spot for NDC as the freshman carries a team leading 3.58 ERA and team best .182 opponent batting average. The right-hander has tossed 37.2 innings this season, totaling 31 strikeouts. Lastly, K. Farrell has started seven games (2^nd), totaling 32.1 innings pitched (3^rd) this year. He has generated a 6.68 ERA, .295 opponent batting average, to go with 24 strikeouts.
 
In relief, Aaron Miller and Jesse Clark lead the charge with the top two appearances on the team. Miler has appeared in 12 games, and primarily acts as the Falcons' closer with a team-high six saves to go with a 3.79 ERA and .250 opponent batting average. Clark leads the team in appearances with 14 as he has amassed a team leading five wins this season. Clark garners a 5.60 ERA, .328 opponent batting average and 20 strikeouts.
 
As a whole, Notre Dame is slashing .286/.365/.427 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 55 doubles, eight triples, 29 home runs and 210 runs scored. In terms of pitching, the team has a 7.04 ERA, .285 opponent batting average, to go with 238 strikeouts and 173 walks allowed.
 
Noting the Pioneers: Malone is entering the week after going 0-5 last weekend, marking a loss in eight of their last nine contests since they defeated Division I Akron on Apr. 5. Last week, Malone fell on Tuesday 4-3 to Walsh in 11 innings, before getting swept in a four-game series to Kentucky Wesleyan. MU went down 4-1 in game one, 13-6 in game two, 3-2 in game three and 9-5 in game four.
 
Malone features five players who can wreak havoc on opposing pitching staffs with Tyson Gingerich leading the team in batting average at .364. JT Tonelli is second on the team in batting average (.324), while being tops in on-base percentage (.460). Evan Balzano is the third and final Pioneer who is batting north of .300 (.317), as he is also one of three MU Pioneer's with 20+ RBIs and 10+ doubles on the season. JC Philippi joins Balzano with ten doubles and 22 RBIs on the season and a .292 batting average. Lastly, Cameron Martin provides the pop for Malone with a team-high five home runs, 34 RBIs, .924 OPS and .532 slugging percentage.
 
On the mound, Michael Cook is the team's ace having started a team-high eight games this season with a team leading 51.2 innings pitched. Cook carries a 3.66 ERA, .259 opponent batting average, to go with 38 strikeouts and 19 walks. Bryce Layton poses as the top bullpen arm for the Pioneers with his team leading 2.76 ERA and .250 opponent batting average over his 16.1 innings pitched this season.
 
As a team, Malone has a slash line of .285/.387/.365 with 59 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, and 199 runs scored. On the bump, the team holds a 5.59 ERA, .309 opponent batting average, to go with 113 punchouts and 75 free passes.
 
Noting the Cardinals: Wheeling had a busy week last week after generating a 1-6 record. Most recently, WU fell to Frostburg State twice, 9-8 and 13-2 on Friday. The Cardinals lost to Clarion University 12-9 in a non-conference affair on Wednesday. Lastly, Wheeling lost three of four to Fairmont State on Sunday and Monday Apr. 10-11. They fell 2-1 in game one, grabbed the victory in game two 5-4, then lost both game three and four, 6-2 and 12-4.
 
The Cardinals are led on offense by J.R. Heavlin's team leading .407 batting average, 15 doubles and 32 runs driven in. Jack Skantze (.358), Blake Vandiver (.333) and Riley Cameron (.301) are the other WU Cardinal's to hit north of .300 with Skantze and Cameron also adding 20+ RBIs each. Cameron leads the team in home runs with eight, as four other Cardinals have blasted at least four home runs apiece. Lastly, ten Cardinals have generated double digit RBI totals, with six players garnering 20+ RBIs a piece.
 
On the mound, Logan Pillars, Dominic Parker-McDonald and Paul Tripi are the top three starters for Wheeling on the season with 41.1, 36.0 and 33.2 innings pitched respectively to lead the team.  Pillars has a team leading nine starts on the season and has amassed an 8.06 ERA, .314 opponent batting average, 29 strikeouts and 30 walks. Parker-McDonald appears to be the most effective starter for WU with his 6.50 ERA, .329 opponent batting average, 19 strikeouts and ten walks. Tripi has struggled this season for Wheeling with an 11.76 ERA, .342 opponent batting average, 25 strikeouts and 15 walks.
 
Hayden Scudder is a pitcher to keep an eye on for Wheeling as he generates a team best 2.36 ERA and .216 opponent batting average. Scudder is a hybrid arm with ten appearances this season and only three starts. The Cardinal hurler has also been effective in the strikeout department with 23 punchouts and seven walks.
 
As a group, Wheeling is a team capable of scoring runs with a slash line of .282/.388/.462 with 58 doubles, 16 triples, 33 home runs and 244 runs scored. However, on the mound the Cardinals have had a tough time getting outs with a 9.26 team ERA, .325 opponent batting average, to go with 170 strikeouts and 157 walks.