Avon, OH. - It was a weekend for the pitchers at Crushers Stadium as three of the four games were decided by one run or less. It was more of the same on Sunday as the Wheeling University Baseball team (18-12, 8-8) wrapped up their weekend with a split against Notre Dame College. The Cardinals edged the Falcons by a run in the first game of the day while it was Notre Dame College that earned the one-run victory in game two, falling 2-1 to round out the series.

Game One: Wheeling 4, Notre Dame College 3

After the Cardinals got strong starting pitching in their first day in Avon, Ohio, that trend continued into the third game of the series as Nick Martinez took the hill. He was strong through 6.0 innings of work, allowing just two runs, one earned, on seven hits while striking out three batters on the day. Martinez faced three batters in two of his six innings and after giving up an early run was able to settle in with four straight zeros through the bottom of the seventh inning. It was the third straight start in which a Cardinal pitcher has allowed two runs or less in a game. However, Notre Dame College's Johnny Anservitz took the mound in game one and he was just as strong, holding the Cardinals off the board for the first four innings of the game.

Notre Dame College would push across a run in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead and the Cardinals threatened but couldn't push a run across in the first four innings. However, the top of the fifth would get them going as Tyler Livingston got things started by reaching on an error. A groundout would move the runner to second and a flyout would move him to third with two outs. Another Notre Dame College error would push across the Cardinal run of the game as Braden Killens reached at first. Nic Ancelet would follow with a big two out single that put runners on the corner and Ancelet would proceed to steal second to put a pair in scoring position for Thomas Kegerreis. Kegerreis would come through with a two-out, two RBI double that made it a 3-1 Cardinal advantage after five innings of play.

Martinez would throw a scoreless sixth inning and the Cardinals would end up getting an all-important insurance run in the top of the seventh. With the score standing at 3-1, Aidan Willard drew a walk and Kaleb Scull would reach on an error to put two runners on with nobody out. Two batters later, Nic Ancelet would step in and singled home Ancelet to make it a 4-1 Cardinal advantage. That run would end up being the difference as Notre Dame College pushed across two more in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 4-3 game. However, Jagger Iovinelli w would step in and after the two runs scored on an error, he was able to get a flyout that gave him his second save of the season and gave the Cardinals the 4-3 victory.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Thomas Kegerreis, who accounted for half of his team's four runs, finishing 2-4 with two RBI. He recorded the team's lone extra base hit of the day with his two-run double in the top of the fifth that broke things open in the team's three-tun top of the fifth. Nic Ancelet would add the other RBI of the day with his clutch RBI single in the top of the seventh, finishing 3-4 with a run scored on the day. The Cardinals would look for the sweep of the Falcons and a series win as they headed into the second game of the day.

Game Two: Notre Dame College 2, Wheeling 1

Just as they did in game one, it was once again the pitchers who took charge in the second game of the doubleheader. However, it was the Cardinal offense that would get on the board first as with one out, a Falcon error allowed Kaleb Scull to reach for the first base runner of the game. Braden Killens would reach with a walk and two batters later, Thomas Kegerreis was up with two away. He would come through with an RBI single that brought home Scull and made it a 1-0 Cardinal advantage. Kody McCarley got the call for the Cardinals in game two and, with the run of support on his side, retired the side 1-2-3. Notre Dame College would push across a pair in the bottom of the second, but that was it for the rest of the game.

It was a complete game effort for McCarley, who was charged with just those two runs early on. He ended up throwing 6.0 innings allowing the two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out four. McCarley's biggest stretch came from the bottom of the second inning to the top of the fifth as he retired eight batters in a row, including both of his 1-2-3 innings on the day. However, the score stood at 2-1 heading into the top of the seventh as the Cardinals would fight to stay alive. Christian Boyles would start the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second. However, second base is where he would stay as Notre Dame College picked up the game two win at 2-1.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Thomas Kegerreis, who picked up the lone RBI of the day with his single in the top of the first. Kegerreis finished off a big day that saw him drive in three of the Cardinal's five runs on the day to lead the offensive effort. Christian Boyles, Braden Killens, Kaleb Scull, and Nic Ancelet picked up the other four hits on the day.

The Wheeling University Baseball team returns to action on Wednesday, April 10th, when they hit the road to face California University of Pennsylvania with first pitch at 1 PM.