CANTON, Ohio – A six-run top of the first inning, featured the Falcons batting around the order and led to Notre Dame's (19-19) 9-6 victory over Malone (13-24) on Wednesday afternoon. NDC totaled six doubles (three in the first inning), to tie for the second most doubles recorded in a game in Notre Dame program history. This is the third instance in which NDC has generated six doubles in a game, as the team falls one double shy of tying the all-time record (7) which was set on Mar. 31, 2009 against John Carroll.
 
Notre Dame wasted no time with jumping on the scoreboard. Nick Farrell, Ben Ross and Kyle Espineli exchanged back-to-back-to-back doubles to quickly put NDC in front 2-0. Michael Zeuli, Shane Mittleman, Aaron Miller and Austin Mora added RBIs in four straight at bats to push the Falcons ahead 6-0. Zeuli plated Espineli on a sacrifice fly, as Mittleman, A. Miller and Mora each generated RBI singles.
 
The Pioneers grabbed a run via RBI double in the bottom of the third inning to get on the scoreboard, 6-1, but Mora tallied the run right back for the Falcons in the top of the fourth. He too laced an RBI double to center field which allowed A. Miller to score after reaching on an error (7-1).
 
Malone added three runs during the home half of the fifth inning on a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly to get back into the contest, 7-4. Moreover, MU threatened during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The Pioneers scored a run during the sixth and seventh innings to pull the contest within one run, 7-6. During the eighth inning, Malone loaded the bases but Falcon hurler Austin Mora was able to work out of the jam. In his second relief appearance of the season, the redshirt senior held Malone off the board, turning the ball over to NDC closer A. Miller for the ninth.
 
Before Notre Dame took the field in the last frame, Zeuli poked a two-run double to left field scoring Espineli and Ross on the play and adding a pair of insurance runs for the Falcons (9-6).
 
In the bottom of the ninth inning, A. Miller sent the Pioneers down in order, grabbing a pair of strikeouts to earn his team leading seventh save of the season. The redshirt sophomore is now tied for the Notre Dame single season record for saves with Todd Marshall (2019) and Ryan Rico (2006).
 
On the mound, seven different Falcons tossed at least one inning today with Calvin Andringa leading the way at three innings pitched in the starting role. Maximilian Schweiger picked up his second win of the season with one inning of hitless relief out of the pen. Jesse Clark, Alex Dicke, Devin Fish and the aforementioned Mora and Miller also saw action on the bump for Notre Dame.
 
On offense, five different Falcons recorded two hits each, including Mora, N. Farrell, Ross, Shadle and Mittleman. Zeuli paced NDC in the RBI department by tying his career-high with three runs driven in. In addition, Mora tied his season-high RBI total with two, as Ross, Mittleman, Espineli and A. Miller garnered one apiece. As previously stated, Notre Dame roped six doubles during the contest and were led by N. Farrell's pair, which extends his NDC career leading mark to 41 doubles. Lastly, Mora, Ross, Espineli and Zeuli also had two-baggers on the afternoon to round out the extra-base hits for the Falcons.
 
Notre Dame College will be back in action on Saturday and Sunday Apr. 23-24 for a four-game series with Wheeling University. The Falcons will host the Cardinals at Mercy Health Stadium for a doubleheader on both days beginning at 1:00 p.m.