SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame College offense put on a show for the home fans, on Tuesday, against Wheeling University. The Falcons had to use a three-run seventh inning for a walk-off 7-6 victory in game one. The runs were scored early and often by NDC in the second game, which ended in the sixth inning with the Falcons winning, 13-5. Emma Gumont totaled five hits and six RBI, while Ella Collinsworth had four hits, three doubles and six RBI.
 
The first three innings to open the doubleheader were relatively calm. Wheeling was able to score two runs on three hits in the first inning, but NDC's pitcher Grace Fisher settled into a groove.
 
WU would score one more time, in the top of the third inning, before NDC could push a run across home plate. In the bottom of the third, freshman Danielle Fick used her speed to reach first on an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error. Two batters later, Gumont singled to center to bring in the first run.
 
Fisher put the Cardinals down in order in the fourth and the fifth and the offensive went back to work in the fifth. Two walks got the inning going for the Falcons and then Gumont hit another RBI single to center field. After a pitching change, graduate student Alexi Maciejowski brought a run in with a groundout to tie the game at three. Collinsworth then stepped up and doubled to right center to score Gumont and give NDC its first lead of the day (4-3).
 
Not wasting any time, a two-run triple and RBI single put Wheeling back in front, 6-4, in the top of the sixth. They looked to add on in the top of the seventh, when junior Madison Olszewski entered the circle for the Falcons. A double and a hit by pitch gave WU two base runners, but a fly out and a fielder's choice on back-to-back at bats got NDC out of the jam.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Notre Dame continued the pattern of three-run innings. Gumont reached on a fielder's choice and Maciejowski walked. Collinsworth then hit her second double of the game, this time, a ground-rule two-bagger to bring in a run. Down by one, with two out, sophomore Destany Blake was called upon as a pinch hitter. She put the ball into right-center field to score both runners and win the game for NDC.
 
"It was great to be home for the first time this season, I was really relaxed in the box today and ready to hit for the team," Collinsworth said, who had a career-high two doubles in game one and career-best four RBI in game two.
 
Gumont and Collinsworth both had two hits in the game, while Gumont, Collinsworth and Blake all totaled two RBI. Olszewski was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless inning.
 
Wheeling scored two runs in the first inning of game two, as well. Notre Dame did not panic as they responded and took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Fick reached on an error to start the inning, moved to second on a single by DeWeese and scored on a base hit off the bat of Gumont. Not showing any signs of slowing down, Collinsworth singled to right field to drive in a pair of runs. Later in the inning, with bases loaded, Blake hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give NDC a 4-2 lead.
 
The Cardinals scored a run in the top of the second, but Notre Dame responded in the bottom half of the inning. Collinsworth hit her third double of the day in the second inning of game two to score two runs and put Notre Dame ahead, 6-3.
 
Three batters into the third inning, Fick doubled to right-center to put Notre Dame ahead 7-3. On the defensive side, sophomore pitcher Allison Weilnau did a great job of limiting the Cardinals after the second inning. She did not allow another run until the sixth.
 
A two-run triple by Gumont and an RBI single by Maciejowski in the fifth inning, pushed the Falcons into double-digit runs for the first time this season. NDC led 10-3.
 
After WU put up two more runs in the top of the sixth, Notre Dame ended the game in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Blake and freshman Lindsay Breuer both singled. On Breuer's hit, the ball was misplayed by the left fielder and both runners moved up two bases. Fick singled to score Breuer and, after a sacrifice bunt, Gumont sent everyone home with an RBI double that gave Notre Dame an eight-run lead, 13-5.
 
The top three batters in the NDC order (Fick, DeWeese, Gumont), each posted three hits and combined to drive in six runs and score nine runs. Collinsworth against had two hits to go along with four RBI. Gumont had a double and triple, while DeWeese stole a career-high three bases.
 
"It's been a lot of fun. I feel like our offense is really starting to click," head coach Kelsey Stopp said. "People are stepping up at the right time and are doing their job. It was great to get a sweep to start conference play, to set the tone on this season."
 
Notre Dame is right back at it tomorrow, March 22, for a noon start against West Liberty University.