The first game was a pitchers’ duel between MVNU sophomore right-hander Caleb Wright (left) and Ken Fields of Notre Dame. The host Falcons (15-13, 7-7 AMC) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an unearned run, and Fields held the Cougars (16-11, 8-4 AMC) scoreless through the first five innings as he allowed just one hit and faced the minimum 15 hitters.

Then, in the top of the sixth inning, sophomore catcher Travis McInerney led off with a double to leftfield. A bunt by sophomore outfielder Kodi Veale scored freshman courtesy runner Michael Hendren when the throw to first was high with Veale advancing all the way to third on the play. Veale later came around to score on a sacrifice fly to rightfield by senior shortstop Ross Yoder as MVNU moved in front 2-1.

However, Notre Dame got one of the runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Falcons knotted the score at 2-2. Mike Wilsey and Josh Bieneman had back-to-back one-out singles to put runners at first and third. Notre Dame executed the delayed double steal to perfection as Wilsey scampered home with the tying run on the back end of the play.

Neither team was able to score again through the next three innings as the game went to extra innings. After the Cougars loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the tenth inning but failed to score, the Falcons went right to work in the bottom of the tenth inning as Cory O’Keefe reached on a lead-off single. Following a fielder’s choice by Eric Pelot, Wilsey lined a shot to rightfield that appeared to be heading foul. However, the field has a strange quirk in that there are wires down both lines that are in play if a ball hits them. The ball struck the wire and landed fair in rightfield for a double as Pelot raced home with the winning run as Notre Dame prevailed 3-2.

Wright scattered eight hits, two walks, and two runs (one earned) over nine innings as he struck out three batters in the longest outing of his young college career. Freshman left-hander Andy Podolak (1-1) took the loss in relief as he gave up two hits and one run while retiring one batter.

Fields matched Wright on the mound as he allowed just five hits, one walk, and two unearned runs over eight innings with four strikeouts. Tony Canzoni (2-0) earned the win in relief as he tossed two scoreless innings and gave up two hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Offensivley, McInerney (right) went 3-for-4 to collect nearly half of MVNU’s seven hits. Meanwhile, Pelot, Wilsey, and Dustin Taulbee each had two hits apiece for the Falcons.

The Cougars seemed to put the tough first-game loss behind them right away as MVNU scored four runs in the top of the first inning of the second game to take an early lead. The first three batters each had a single for the Cougars with senior third baseman Richey Burgos driving in the first run with the second run coming on an error. A two-out double by freshman catcher Ricardo Rodriguez down the leftfield line scored a run, and another error by the Notre Dame defense made it 4-0.

A two-out RBI-single up the middle by Burgos in the top of the second inning extended the lead to 5-0 as MVNU appeared in control early on.

However, the Falcons began chipping away at the lead with single runs in the bottom of the second, third, and fifth innings to pull within 5-3.

Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Jack Sito led off with a solo homer to leftfield to make it 5-4. Later in the inning, Taulbee lined an RBI-single to right center to knot the score at 5-5.

From the second inning on, the Cougars managed just two base runners against Notre Dame pitcher Lafe Burnette (2-1) - sophomore first baseman Matt Parks was hit by a pitch with two outs in the top of the third inning and senior outfielder Marc Hadley drew a two-out walk in the top of the fifth inning. In fact, Burnette retired the final MVNU batters of the game to give his team a chance to complete the comeback.

With the score tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Pelot led off with a single and was bunted to second. After Bieneman was intentionally walked to set up a potential double play, Sito singled to leftfield to load the bases with one out. Sean Flanagan followed with a single up the middle that Podolak tried to make a stab at as the Falcons posted their second walk-off win of the day with the 6-5 victory.

Senior right-hander Dave Yost (left) started and worked five-plus innings and allowed six hits, three walks, and four runs with three strikeouts. Senior right-hander Jason Barber (1-1) took the loss in relief as he gave up four hits, one walk, and two runs over 1.1 innings with one strikeout. Podolak allowed the game-ending hit to the only batter that he faced.

Burnette picked up the complete-game win for Notre Dame as he allowed just five hits, two walks, and three runs (two earned) with three strikeouts over seven innings.

Offensively, Burgos went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Cougars. Sito was 3-for-4 to pace the Falcons, while Taulbee, Pelot, and Flanagan each had two hits apiece.

MVNU is slated to return to action on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. when the Cougars will host Ohio Wesleyan University in a non-conference nine-inning game.