AVON, Ohio – A resilient Notre Dame College (24-24, 18-12 MEC) team earned a split with Alderson Broaddus University (7-35, 7-23 MEC) on Sunday afternoon as Senior Day was celebrated at Mercy Health Stadium. Seniors, #5 Jesse Clark, #34 Kyle Espineli, #21 Nick Farrell, #7 Parker Hray, #32 Shane Mittleman, #13 Austin Mora, #23 Nick Petrolla, #8 Michael Zeuli and Jacob Fonderlin were recognized pre-game. Moreover, NDC fell 7-5 in game one, but the career days from Alex Dicke and Alec Mendoza grabbed the Falcons the 9-4 win in game two. Dicke earned the starting nod and tied his career-high with seven innings pitched and nine strikeouts. Mendoza enjoyed a 4-for-5 day at the plate, notching a career-high for hits in a game.
 
In game one, Notre Dame tallied all five of their runs during the second inning of play, starting with Tyler Shadle's double to right field. Hayden Parker plated the first Falcon run on an RBI single to center field, scoring Shadle and moving NDC ahead 1-0. During the very next at bat, Shane Mittleman reached via Battler error, which allowed both Parker and Michael Zeuli to score (3-0). Another AB error, allowed Mendoza to reach base safely, while Mittleman touched home plate (4-0). Lastly, Ben Ross rounded out the scoring with an RBI double to left field, scoring Mendoza and NDC's fifth run of the frame.
 
Alderson Broaddus responded in the top of the fourth inning with a five-run inning of their own to tie the contest, 5-5. A pair of Battler singles in back-to-back at bats, put AB on the board 5-2. Later in the frame, an RBI hit by pitch, RBI single and a sacrifice fly in three straight at bats, tied the game at 5-5.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, the Battlers would push across the game-winning run on a double to left field by AB's Chandler Ballenger (6-5). A sacrifice fly during the next at bat would conclude the scoring in game one, 7-5 Battlers.
 
In game two, freshman Alex Dicke held the fort down by tossing his third complete game of the season, tying his career-high with seven innings pitched. The right hander surrendered five hits on the day, allowing zero earned runs, while striking out nine batters. His nine punch outs also ties a career mark which he set back on Apr. 9 against West Liberty.
 
Once again, the Falcons leapt out to the early lead, this time in the bottom of the first inning. Ross launched his team leading 14^th home run of the season, after Mendoza led off with a single, to put NDC ahead 2-0.
 
Notre Dame added three more runs in the second stanza, kicked off by Austin Mora's RBI single through the right side. Nate Miller scored after he drew one of his three walks in the game (3-0). During the next at bat, Mendoza ripped a two-run single up the middle, scoring Mora and Parker and giving Notre Dame a 5-0 lead.
 
Similar to game one, the Battlers fought their way back into the contest with three runs during the third inning. A Falcon error allowed the frame to continue, as AB posted three unearned runs to claw back into the contest 5-3. In the fourth, after a triple to right field, AB's Paul Rice came across home plate via passed ball, moving the score to 5-4.
 
In the clutch, Kyle Espineli generated a two-out, two-run single through the left side in the bottom of the fourth, adding much needed insurance runs for NDC, 7-4. Mendoza and Ross scored on the play, after they generated a single and an intentional walk, respectively.
 
The Falcons scored their eighth run of the contest when Nick Farrell poked an RBI single to right field during the fifth inning. The single marks the 212^th hit of the redshirt senior's career, which puts him in a tie with NDC legend Danny Beaver (2014-17), for the most hits in program history.
 
Mora and NDC tacked on their final run of the game during the bottom of the sixth inning. The Cleveland, Ohio native tallied his second hit and second run driven in of the contest via single to right field. Zeuli scored (9-4), after he reached on a single to center.
 
On offense, Notre Dame was led by Mendoza's five-hit afternoon, including his career-high 4-for-5 at the dish in game two. In addition, Ross, N. Farrell and Parker all contributed three hits apiece. Moreover, Ross paced the team with three runs driven in on the afternoon, as Mendoza, Mora and Espineli all generated two RBIs apiece. Lastly, Ross, Mendoza and Petrolla all enjoyed a double on the day, while Ross also picked up his 14^th home run of the campaign.
 
Notre Dame College will be back in action on Monday May 9 for the final day of the 2022 regular season. The Falcons will travel down to Alderson Broaddus University for a doubleheader that was originally slated for May 5, but was postponed due to inclement weather. The twin bill is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
 
It is worth noting that the top three teams in each division (North/South) will advance to play in the Mountain East Conference Tournament beginning next weekend in Beckley, W.Va. Currently, NDC holds a one-game advantage over Wheeling University with two games to play. WU is scheduled to play West Liberty University on May 9 at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m.