SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- On Wednesday, Notre Dame College played on Normandy Field for the first time in 2024. The Falcons fell behind early in the first game of the doubleheader, but came back to win, 3-1, behind a dominant pitching performance by freshman Grace Fisher. In game two, a big offensive fourth inning for Mercyhurst University put NDC into a hole as they fell, 5-1, to end the day.

Fisher set the Lakers down in order through the first two innings in her start. Her only mistake of the day was when she allowed a leadoff home run to Marisa Cartellone, putting Mercyhurst on top in the third inning.

In another solid performance, Fisher threw a complete game, allowing just one run, while striking out eight and she did not walk anyone. MU did record eight hits, but the native of Painesville, Ohio worked out of every jam.

The Falcons did not score until the fourth inning, but freshman Avery Robinson changed the game quickly with a leadoff home run, the first of her career. That tied the game at one and NDC would add on in the fifth and sixth innings, as well.

Freshman Jocelyn Quior walked to start the bottom of the fifth inning. She stole second base, moved to third on a groundout by sophomore Lindsay Breuer and scored when senior Katelyn DeWeese singled up the middle, to score the go-ahead run. NDC would load the bases that inning, but did not push another run across the plate.

To start the bottom of the sixth, junior Destany Blake hit an infield single back up the middle and she moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by senior Meadow Odum. Quior hit another infield single and Blake moved to third base. A third NDC run scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Breuer.

Mercyhurst had a runner in scoring position in both the fifth and the seventh, but did not find a way to tie the game.

The top four in the NDC order (DeWeese, Hope Barrett, Robinson, Danielle Fick) totaled four hits and two RBI.

Another pitching duel was shaping up through three innings of game two. Mercyhurst had one hit in each of the first three innings, but were never truly threatening to score. NDC did not have a hit in the first three innings.

Then, in the top of the fourth, the Lakers scored four runs on five hits. Notre Dame attempted to respond quickly and loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but did not score.

In the fifth inning, DeWeese double to put runners on second and third. Barrett hit a sacrifice fly into right field for an RBI, making the score 4-1. And then Mercyhurst tacked on one more in the top of the sixth.

Notre Dame heads to West Liberty University for a doubleheader on March 16. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.