This Week: The Notre Dame College baseball team travels to West Liberty University on Sunday and Monday Apr. 23-24 to begin a four-game series. A traditional MEC doubleheader will take place on each day, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Lastly, the Falcons head to Mercyhurst University on Wednesday Apr. 26 for a single contest begining at 1 p.m.
 
Schedule Change: NDC and WLU were originally scheduled to play their four-game series on Saturday and Sunday, but rain in the forecast has pushed the doubleheader back a day. Due to the WLU series getting pushed back, NDC and Mercyhurst will now play on Wednesday after originally being set to play on Tuesday.
 
Records: NDC starts the week at 9-24 (9-11 MEC) and tied for second place in the Mountain East Conference North Division. WLU sits at 14-23 (9-11 MEC) and tied for second place in the MEC North Division. Mercyhurst maintains a record of 20-9 (14-2 PSAC).
 
Coaches Corner: Len Barker is in his 12^th season at the helm of the NDC baseball program for the 2023 season. Barker has a career record of 235-293. Eric Burkle is the head coach of West Liberty, totaling more than 200 wins in 11 seasons. Joe Spano is in the middle of his 24^th season at Mercyhurst, amassing a 732-425 career record.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Poll.
 
Series History: Notre Dame is 23-13 all-time when facing West Liberty, dating back to their first meeting in 2014, and including the Falcons taking three of four against the Hilltoppers last season. NDC is 3-16 all-time when squaring off with Mercyhurst, dating back to their first meeting in 2011 and including the Falcons 8-7 victory last season.
 
Noting the Falcons: Last week, Notre Dame went 3-2, including a 3-1 showing in conference play. On Friday, the Falcons took the first two games from Fairmont State, 3-2 and 2-1 in extra innings. Maximilian Schweiger walked-off NDC in game two, with a perfectly executed suicide squeeze. On Saturday, FSU claimed game three 11-2, before Notre Dame secured the series finale 4-3 on a walk-off two-run single by Jordan Long. Lastly, the Falcons fell to Walsh on Wednesday 11-5 to conclude the five-game homestand.
 
Redshirt junior Tyler Shadle carries a 14-game hitting streak into the week, as he leads NDC with a .354 batting average, ranking eighth in the Mountain East Conference. Shadle also leads the team in doubles (7), slugging percentage (.481) and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.877), while being second in hits (23) and on-base percentage (.396).
 
Freshman Johnathan Cook adds the second-best batting average on the team at .284, as he is one of three Falcons to draw more walks than strikeouts (9 to 5), joining Johnny Costella and Nate Miller.
 
Costella is third on the team in batting average (.267), while being first in on-base percentage (.406).
 
Alec Mendoza is the team leader in runs batted in with 17, as four Falcons have double digit RBI totals (Miller, Shadle, Hayden Parker).
 
As a unit, Notre Dame posts a slash line of .238/.335/.294 (BA/OBP/SLG), to go with 124 runs scored, 34 doubles, five triples and three home runs.
 
Mendoza is also the ace of the Falcon pitching staff, leading the team in innings pitched (39.1) and complete games, while pacing the starting pitchers in ERA (6.64) and WHIP (1.58). The redshirt junior is tied for second in the MEC with three complete games.
 
Graduate student Devin Fish has been lights out for Notre Dame, as he has not allowed an earned run over his last 16.1 innings pitched. The New Berlin, Wisc. native leads NDC in appearances (13), ERA (3.64), WHIP (1.35) and opponent batting average (.233), while recording a team-high five wins on the year.
 
As a team, Notre Dame tallies a 9.98 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, .326 opponent batting average, to go along with 146 strikeouts and 180 walks allowed.
 
Noting the Hilltoppers: Last week, West Liberty went 4-1, beginning with a 13-10 victory at California (Pa.). Next, the Hilltoppers took three of four games at Alderson Broaddus. WLU claimed the first two games, 10-7 and 13-1, before AB stole game three 12-8, as West Liberty grabbed the series finale 6-1.
 
West Liberty touts three players with batting averages above .300, led by Jacob Sherman's .327 average at the plate, ranking tied for 17^th in the MEC. Sherman also paces the team in doubles and on-base percentage as he ranks third and tied for 16^th, respectively in the conference.
 
James Salvatore adds a .326 batting average, a top 20 provision in the league.
 
Ty Helmke is the third player to hit at least .300 (.317), as Helmke also provides the power for West Liberty. The outfielder leads the team in hits (40), home runs (6), RBI (24), OPS (.975) and slugging percentage (.563). Amongst the MEC, Helmke is top 10 in hits and home runs, top 15 in doubles, top 20 in OPS and slugging, and top 25 in runs batted in.
 
As a team, West Liberty is slashing .260/.366/.390, to go with 178 runs scored, 60 doubles, three triples and 21 home runs.
 
On the mound, Ian Brady, Drake Dobson and Justin Pennybacker are the mainstay starting pitchers for WLU. Pennybacker paces the team in strikeouts (40), while Dobson owns a .215 opponent batting average, as Brady leads the starters in ERA and WHIP (6.15 and 1.59 WHIP).
 
Relievers, Trevor Thomas and Ryan Clark rank one-two on the team in ERA (2.03 and 3.14) and opponent batting average (.133 and .208).
 
As a pitching staff, West Liberty maintains a 7.67 ERA, 1.87 WHIP, .294 opponent batting average, to go with 162 strikeouts and 161 walks allowed.
 
Noting the Lakers: Last week, Mercyhurst went 4-3, opening with a pair of losses to Findlay on Tuesday, 11-7 and 17-3. MU responded by taking three of four games from Pitt Johnstown over the weekend, winning 14-0 on Friday, before falling 5-2 in game two. The Lakers then claimed game three 10-6, before closing out the series with a 3-0 victory.
 
Lucas Folmar ranks tops  on the team in batting average (.358), OPS (1.005) and slugging percentage (.582), while being second in RBI (23) and third in doubles (6) and home runs (3).
 
Zachary Kourous (.347), Eric Chorba (.330), Matt Christopher (.310) and Mitchell Grosch (.310) also hold averages above .300 at the dish.
 
Folmar (24) and Chorba (22) produce the RBI for Mercyhurst, alongside Luke Jackson's team-leading 26 runs batted in. Jackson provides the pop for MU with a team-high six home runs.
 
As a squad, Mercyhurst slashes .282/.397/.441 to go with 186 runs scored, 54 doubles, 10 triples and 23 home runs.
 
On the bump, starting pitcher Jarrett Heilman has been lights out, surrendering a team-best 1.34 ERA over a team-high 47.0 innings pitched. Heilman ranks fifth amongst NCAA Division II in earned run average, thanks to four complete games, including three shutouts. Moreover, Heilman boasts team-highs in strikeouts (47) and WHIP (1.04).
 
Reliver Ben Berdino acts as the Lakers closer, registering a team-high three saves over eight appearances (13.2 innings pitched). Berdino carries a 2.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a .196 opponent batting average.
 
As a whole, Mercyhurst owns a 4.54 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, .227 opponent batting average, to go with 245 strikeouts and 125 walks allowed.