April 12, 2008

CANTON, Ohio - Malone College came into Saturday's twin bill against Notre Dame in first place in the American Mideast Conference (AMC), with an 11-3 mark. After several hours of baseball at a chilled Thurman Munson Stadium, the Pioneers walked out still in first. Quite literally.

Notre Dame pitchers issued a combined 13 walks in just 10 innings, as the Pioneers swept the Falcons, 19-6 and 4-2.

Game one (MC 19, NDC 6)
In the opener, Malone sent 12 batters to the plate in a 9-run first-inning debacle for the Falcons. Starter Chris Balmert (Sr/Lakewood, OH) issued a pair of walks in the inning and then one more in the second before he was lifted for freshman Trent Crow (Daytona Beach, FL). Balmert coughed up 11 runs (three earned) in his inning-and-a-third by hitting a batter and giving up five hits in addition to the three free passes.

Crow finished the second, but then he couldn't get out of the third, as Malone batted around for a second time. By the end of the third, the Pioneers had built an insurmountable 19-0 lead.

The Falcons scored six token runs late in the five-inning run-rule loss. In four innings Malone reached base 24 times.

Game two (MC 4, NDC 2)
In the nightcap, Malone again batted around in what proved to be a crucial second inning.

After senior Dustin Taulbee (Elyria, OH) doubled and scored a run in the first, the Pioneers plated a run of their own off game-two starter Mick Robinson (Jr/Canal Winchester, OH).

In the second frame, Robinson had major control problems. The Falcons' lefty walked back-to-back hitters with one out. He then hit a batter and proceeded to walk three more in succession. Although he would eventually get out of a bases loaded jam with an important strikeout, Robinson was touched up for three runs in the inning.

To his credit, Robinson rebounded from the near-disastrous second to pitch four scoreless innings and keep the Falcons in the game.

The NDC offense, however, was hamstrung by Malone lefty Todd Liberatore (So/New Philadelphia, OH). Liberatore allowed just one unearned run after the first in preserving the win and the sweep for Malone. The sophomore hurler walked just one while striking out five, and he held the Falcons to an 0-for-7 mark with runners in scoring position.

In the two games, Malone pitchers issued just two walks, to Notre Dame's 13.

Junior shortstop Scott McIlvain (Alliance, OH) led the Malone offense on the day, with five hits, a base on balls, and a hit-by-pitch.

Junior left fielder Jack Sito (Elyria, OH) paced NDC with three hits.

The sweep for Malone keeps the Pioneers atop the AMC standings, with a 13-3 mark. Malone is now 24-9 overall. NDC falls to 7-9 in the circuit, and 15-15 overall. The Falcons are slated to host the Pioneers at Paul Serra Field on Tuesday.

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

19, NERVOUS BREAKDOWN: The 19 runs and 14 hits allowed by the Falcons Saturday in game one are season-highs in each category. 19 runs in a game is the most Notre Dame has allowed since Youngstown State poured on 20 in a game last season (May 2, 2007). ... Five Falcon errors contributed to the meltdown. That's the most committed by NDC since they garnered five errors in a March 13 win over Miami-Hamilton. The Falcons themselves scored 19 runs in that game. ... In 2008, Notre Dame has given up 148 runs (4.9 per game), while scoring 134 (4.5).

DUSTY DOZEN: Dustin Taulbee banged out a pair of doubles in Notre Dame's game two loss in Canton. The Falcon infielder now has a team-leading 12 two-baggers on the season. He leads the team in OPS (on-base plus slugging) in 2008, with a .962 mark. ... In his four-year career, the Elyria High School product has garnered a program-best 30 doubles.