This Week: For the first time in 2024, Notre Dame College softball will play on Normandy Field. On March 13, the Falcons will play a home doubleheader against Mercyhurst University, with a first pitch of 3 p.m. NDC will be in West Liberty, on March 16, for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. And on March 17, the Falcons will drive to Wheeling for games at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
 
Records: Notre Dame has a record of 12-5, after going 8-3 at The Spring Break games in Florida, last week. The last time that NDC won eight games in Florida was 2017. Mercyhurst is currently 3-8, West Liberty is 2-12 and Wheeling is 3-15.
 
Coaches Corner: Kelsey Stopp is in her sixth season in the dugout at NDC, leading the Falcons to a record of 104-123. She reached 100 career victories last Thursday, with a win against Queens College. Leanne Baker is in her 12th season at Mercyhurst. Sara Pelegreen is in her first season with the Hilltoppers and Mallory Chapman is in her first season leading Wheeling.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II top 25.
 
Series History: Notre Dame has a record of 5-1 against Mercyhurst, all-time. Since joining the MEC in 2014, Notre Dame has gone 20-17 against West Liberty. The Falcons first played Wheeling in 2013 and hold a record of 17-22 versus the Cardinals. However, NDC has won the last four matchups.
 
Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame has gotten off to its best start since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2013, and a 12-5 record is the best start by the Falcons since at least 2009. NDC swept the four games at the Blue Bridge Battle in Evansville, Ind., outscoring its opponents, 25-9. And after losing the first two games on its Florida trip, NDC went 8-1 from March 5 to March 9. They outscored their opponents 64-18 over that span.
 
Notre Dame has four players hitting over .300: Danielle Fick (.389), Destany Blake (.356) and Meadow Odum (.324). Fick leads the team with 33 total bases (six doubles, three triples) and with 15 RBI. Her three triples ranks 23rd in Division II. Leadoff hitter Katelyn DeWeese has walked 12 times, to go along with her 14 hits for a on-base percentage of .452. She has also stole 10 bases. During the Florida trip, Blake hit .448 with 11 RBI, while Fick hit .389, with 10 RBI and four extra base hits. In the pitcher's circle, both starting pitchers have an ERA of 2.19, or lower. Allison Weilnau leads the way with a 2.15 earned run average with a 4-1 record through eight starts. Grace Fisher has also made eight starts, but has six complete games, including two shutouts. She has struck out 39 hitters in 48 innings. Madison Olszewski has allowed just one earned run in 10 2/3 innings of relief.
 
Noting the Lakers: Mercyhurst played four games against No. 10 University of Indianapolis, to start the season losing the first three before winning the final matchup. MU went 2-5 last week in Florida, defeating Dominican University of New York (6-4) and Bemidji State (3-1).
 
As a team, Mercyhurst is only hitting .209. Madison Fry-Fachet is the only Laker hitting over .300, at .306 and she has 11 hits on the year. She and Eliza Reynolds both have two doubles to lead the team. Mikaela Schramski leads the pitchers with a 6.17 ERA. She has allowed 16 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings of work, but she holds an opponent's batting average of .194. The Lakers' team ERA is 7.52.
 
Noting the Hilltoppers: West Liberty has been a traveling team so far this season, making multiple stops to North Carolina, along with Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. The Hilltoppers' only two wins came against Bowie State, on March 7.
 
Sydney Johnson (.349), Sara Simon (.333), Carlee Leidy (.333) and Kayla Mancuso (.333) are all hitting over .300. Johnson also leads the team with four doubles and 19 total bases. Three of Simon's hits have gone for doubles and she also has a home run for a slugging percentage of .556. Madison Angus leads the pitching staff with an ERA of 5.42, but Kadence Pettit has struck out 26 in 27 1/3 innings.
 
Noting the Cardinals: Wheeling's spring break trip last week took them to Virginia and Tennessee. WU went 0-8 on the trip, losing doubleheaders to UVA-Wise, King University, Emory & Henry and Carson-Newman. Wheeling has one win against Hillsdale and a sweep of a doubleheader with Ursuline College.
 
Wheeling has been hitting the ball well so far, holding a team batting average of .295. Cassie Feyh has been hitting .472, with a .623 slugging percentage. She has racked up 25 hits, eight doubles and 13 RBI. Madison Kay is not far behind with a .357 average, three doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI. Seven Cardinals are hitting over .300 on the season. Pitching has been the issue for WU, with a team ERA of 11.82. Maria Clark has an ERA of 8.01 over 32 1/3 innings to lead the staff.