March 1 , 2008

Bluegrass blues
Pair of losses close out tourney for Falcons
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SAVANNAH, Ga. – Notre Dame closed out their competition in the Smash Hit Tournament Saturday with a pair of losses in a split doubleheader. Both losses came to Kentucky schools - NDC dropped their Saturday opener, 5-2, in a rematch against Lindsey Wilson College (KY), whom the Falcons clipped 4-3 on Friday afternoon. In the nightcap, Notre Dame fell to Georgetown College (KY), 4-1. The twin losses close out NDC's week at the event, which was hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Junior third baseman Anna Ball (Bellville, OH) led the Falcons (3-5) in the two games. The 2007 Second Team All-American went 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs against the Blue Raiders and Lady Tigers.

Game One (LWC 5, NDC 2)
In the first game, freshman Meredith Harbarger (Akron, OH) started in the circle for Notre Dame. After being staked to a 1-0 lead to start the game, Hargbarger was tagged for four runs in the bottom of the first. Blue Raider batters, having seen the freshman hurler the day before, jumped on the righthander for a home run, triple, double, and two singles in the inning.

LWC added a fifth run in the fourth inning - a solo blast off the bat of Jennifer Gross (Louisville, KY), who had also doubled in the first.

NDC closed out the scoring in the 5-2 loss with a lone run in their half of the fifth - a leadoff homer by Ball.

For the game, LWC out-hit Notre Dame, 12-7. Harbarger was tagged with the loss. She went the distance, yielding five earned runs on 12 base hits. She struck out four and did not issue a walk.

NDC batters went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Four LWC batters posted a multi-hit game. Blue Raider starter Leigh Ann Moore (Dawson Springs, KY) went the route, striking out nine.

Game Two (GC 4, NDC 1)
In Saturday's second game, starter Katie Lapczenski (Jr/Willoughby Hills, OH) toed the rubber for the Falcons against the Lady Tigers, who went 29-12 a year ago. Lapczenski yielded a three-spot in the second inning on a pair of doubles and an equal number of defensive miscues.

Georgetown scored again in the third. In between, in the top of the third, Anna Ball hit her second home run of the day - a solo shot.

That closed out the scoring; neither side plated a run the rest of the game. Brittany Gunther (Louisville, KY) went the distance in the circle for the Lady Tigers. She scattered five hits and struck out three without walking anyone. She retired the last seven batters in a row, and held NDC to an 0-for-4 mark with runners in scoring position.

Lapczenski went four, giving up four runs (three earned). Harbarger pitched a pair of scoreless frames in relief. Georgetown banged out four doubles in the game.

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

FALCON PAUSE: With the conclusion of their participation in the SCAD tournament, Notre Dame will now have a three-and-a-half week break in their schedule. NDC's next game is scheduled for Mar. 25, their home opener at Campus Field.

STARS OF SAVANNAH: Anna Ball batted .520/.581/.920 (BA/OBP/SLG) in the eight game Savannah trip. The junior slugger banged out a double and three home runs among 13 hits for a team-leading 23 total bases. She also reached a career milestone in driving in her 100th run on the trip. ... Fellow junior Jill Gigliotti (Medina, OH) also had a nice week with the bat. The Falcons' catcher batted .333/.407./.500, with a double and a homer. Ball and Gigliotti garnered 14 (seven each) of NDC's 24 team RBI's. ... Meredith Harbarger appeared in seven of NDC's eight games in Savannah. The freshman hurler tossed 30.1 innings, walking five and fanning 15. She posted a 4.15 ERA for the week.

RISP-Y BUSINESS: For the eight games in the week, NDC pitching yielded a .355 batting average (27-for-76) with runners in scoring position. ... Through eight games, NDC has been outscored 41-26. The Falcons are hitting .233/.308/.349 (.657 on-base plus slugging). NDC foes are batting .311/.366/.495 (.861).