BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Fairmont State won its sixth-straight and seventh of its last eight Mountain East Conference games by taking the front end of a four-game series with Notre Dame College, 4-1, 5-1, on Friday afternoon at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex.
With the win, FSU improves to 20-16 overall and 12-6 in league play. The Falcons are just two games back of Shepherd and West Liberty in the Northern Division of the MEC. The Rams and 'Toppers are both 14-4 in league play.
In game one, FSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a pair of home runs in the fourth inning from
Tyler Hill and
Darrin Zombro. The home runs were the first of the season for both Hill and Zombro.
Hill's home run was a two-run shot that also drove in
Johnny Kesling following a leadoff single in the inning. Two batters later Zombro's homer cleared the left field fence to put the Falcons in front 4-0.
Earlier in the game,
Austin Norman broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly in center field to score
Ben Myers from third.
Notre Dame College (9-25, 5-13 MEC) added one run in the seven before
Michael Stout (6-3) closed the door to earn his sixth win of the season. Stout struck out four batters and scattered six hits in the complete game victory.
In game two after falling behind 1-0 following an RBI double by Notre Dame's Matt Seekins, Fairmont State scored five unanswered runs, including three in the eighth inning to take both games of the day.
Jacob Whitmore knotted the game in the fourth with a sac-fly to right field to plate
Ted Sova. One inning later,
Greg Yaksich hit an RBI single to push Fairmont's advantage to 2-1.
The Falcons gained some separation in the bottom of the eight, thanks to Norman stealing home and a pair of RBI singles by Kesling and
Zach Uhazie.
Matt Maiers (4-2) picked up the win on the hill in game two, fanning four batters and walking just one.
Games three and four of the series have been moved up to an 11 a.m. start on Saturday afternoon at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex.
