AVON, Ohio – A bitter late winter afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium saw three Falcons poke four hits on the day, however the Notre Dame College baseball team (4-12, 2-2 MEC) fell to West Virginia Wesleyan College (7-9, 2-0 MEC) by final scores of 8-6 and 14-5. Johnny Costella (4-for-6), Tyler Shadle (4-for-8) and Carson Petrecca (4-for-8) all swung a strong bat on a chilly day Sunday in Northeast Ohio.
 
WV Wesleyan started the scoring in the top of the first inning, plating a pair of runs (2-0).
 
The Falcons got a run back during the home half of the first inning as Caden Gomes came around to score on a Shadle RBI double (2-1).
 
NDC knotted the game up in the bottom of the second inning, as Petrecca tallied a lead-off single. Later in the frame, Cadence Varner crossed home plate on an RBI single by Costella (2-2).
 
Notre Dame moved in front during the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on three hits. Alexander Jones began with a lead-off double to right field. A couple batters later, Costella brought home Jones on an RBI single up the middle. In the very next at-bat, Gomes jolted a two-out, two-run double to left center, to give the Falcons a 5-3 lead.
 
The Bobcats reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth inning, producing five runs on four hits (7-5).
 
Petrecca and the Falcons answered during the home half of the frame, as Jacob Barker sparked the inning with a lead-off triple. Next, Petrecca generated the RBI on an infield single.
 
Despite the back-and-forth action, WVWC added a run during the top of the sixth inning, before claiming game one by a final score of 8-6.
 
Petrecca's momentum carried over from yesterday as he paced NDC with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate. Costella added a pair of hits (2-for-3), while he and Gomes each produced a pair of RBI.
 
On the mound, reliever Danny Brammer tossed an inning of scoreless relief, surrendering just one hit.
 
In the second contest, WV Wesleyan registered three runs on four hits in the top of the first inning, followed by a run in the second, to lead 4-0.
 
After a Bobcat run in the top of the fourth (5-0), the Falcons got the offense rolling, scoring three runs on three hits in the home half of the inning (5-3). First, Shadle laced a double down the left field line, before Petrecca added an infield single. Next, Aaron Miranda beat out an infield single, and advanced to third on a Bobcat error, plating both Falcon runners. Lastly, Jones joined the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Miranda.
 
WVWC scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning (8-3), before NDC got back to work in the bottom of the frame. The Falcons added one run on three hits, jump-started by a Miranda double down the left field line. After Jones singled to third base, Dylan Wimbs had a productive out on a sacrifice fly to left field (8-4).
 
Late scoring by the Bobcats in the top of the seventh push the contest to 14-4.
 
NDC continued to fight until the final out, as a lead-off walk by Barker turned into an RBI for Miranda (14-5).
 
Shadle carried the Notre Dame offense in game two, generating a 3-for-4 outing at the plate. In addition, Costella (2-for-3), Miranda (2-for-4) and Damion Legaspe (2-for-3) added multiple hits in the game.
 
The Notre Dame College baseball team will be back in action on Wednesday Mar. 20 at 3 p.m. when the Falcons head to Ashland University to face the Eagles.