TROUTVILLE, Va. – On day two of the Mountain East Conference Tournament, Notre Dame College had a tough draw with West Virginia Wesleyan College, the two seed in the South Division, to start the day and the No. 21 ranked University of Charleston, the top seed in the south, in game two. The Falcons scored early to defeat W.Va. Wesleyan, 3-2, but lost to Charleston to end NDC's tournament run.
 
Freshman Grace Fisher took the pitcher's circle in game one, against West Virginia Wesleyan. Following an impressive complete game shutout of West Liberty, on Friday, Fisher did not disappoint on Saturday, going 4 2/3 innings before allowing the first hit of the game. She would put together another complete game, allowing just two runs in the win.
 
WVWC entered the game with 43 wins on the season and ranked third in the Atlantic Region. Despite those numbers, NDC looked very comfortable right out of the gate. Junior Katelyn DeWeese singled to start the game and everyone was safe on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Emma Gumont. With two out, graduate student Alexi Maciejowski was hit by the first pitch she saw to load the bases and sophomore Alyssa Wahl walked to push the first run across. Junior Meadow Odum then placed a ball just inside of the third base line for a two-run double.
 
Those three runs would be all the Falcons needed to get past the Bobcats, who struggled to get their offense going. They had a runner reach third base in the second inning, with a walk, a steal, and an error, but did not get base hit until the fifth.
 
W.Va. Wesleyan, with an offense that averaged 4.4 runs per game, finally broke through in the seventh inning. With two out, and a runner on first base, three consecutive singles scored two runs and put the tying run on second base. A solid running catch in foul territory by NDC's second baseman Meadow Odum ended the game and the Falcons advanced.
 
After Charleston defeated Glenville State in eight innings, the Falcons were matched up with the Golden Eagles. UC entered the weekend ranked No. 21 in the country and would NDC's first national ranked opponent since March 10.
 
Charleston scored in the first inning on a fielder's choice, but NDC pitcher Allison Weilnau sat them down in order in the second inning. The Golden Eagles broke the game open with six runs in the third, then added one more in the fourth and were able to close out the game in five innings.
 
NDC has 31 total wins this season and 18 conference victories, the most in the program's NCAA Division II era (since 2013).
 
"I am so impressed with this group," said head coach Kelsey Stopp. "We had a memorable season, making history in so many categories. Our program is headed in the right direction and I am grateful to be their coach. It has been one heck of a ride and I can't wait for next year. Go Falcons!"
 
Fisher had 141 strikeouts, which is third in NDC single season history, and the most since 2016. She is tied for third with five shutouts in a season. Fisher ends the season with a 2.98 ERA, while Weilnau posted a 3.04 ERA. Those rank eighth and ninth respectively, in NDC single season history. Weilnau's 15 wins ranks fourth in single season history.
 
Gumont's 48 RBI this season ranks fifth in NDC single season history and her 62 hits ranks eighth. Fick's 22 stolen bases is the second most in a season at Notre Dame.