Game 1 Box Score  |  Game 2 Box Score

The Malone University baseball team blanked Notre Dame College twice on Friday afternoon at the Pipe Yard in Lorain, Ohio as the Pioneers opened their four-game American Mideast Conference weekend series against the Falcons with victories of 1-0 and 2-0. Malone starting pitchers Tyler Newhart and Jared Messer both dominated on the mound, tossing complete-game shutouts. Newhart struck out six and walked two, winning a pitcher's duel with Notre Dame's Simon Davis in the opener. Messer then picked up right where Newhart left off in game two, striking out six and walking three to edge Falcon starter Chris Miller. With the doubleheader sweep, Malone improved to 27-15 overall and, more importantly, climbed back to the .500 mark in the AMC, now 5-5 against conference opponents. Notre Dame, meanwhile, slipped to 19-15 overall and 2-8 in the conference.

The Falcons put at least one runner on base in each of the first six innings of game one but were unable to get on the scoreboard. Malone finally broke the stalemate in the top of the seventh with an unearned run. Third baseman Bob Suitca led off the frame with a double to right-center. Pinch-runner Sean Gorby then moved to third on a groundout by designated hitter Corey Hartong. Gorby was unable to score when the next batter of the inning, catcher T.J. Rosenberg, grounded out to second, but managed to race home moments later on a costly two-out throwing error by the Notre Dame catcher. Newhart then slammed the door shut in the bottom of the seventh with his first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon. The 6'2 righty improved to 6-1 on the year with his third shutout and fifth complete game of the season. Davis was the tough-luck loser for NDC, falling to 3-3 on the year despite allowing just one unearned run on four hits over his seven innings of work.

Malone pulled out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the finale on a two-out infield single by rightfielder Marc Adams. The Pioneers then tacked on the final run of the day in the third as leftfielder Sam Craciun scored from second on a two-out single up the middle by Rosenberg. Notre Dame threatened in the final two innings, loading the bases in the sixth and putting two runners on in the seventh. However, Messer worked out of both jams, inducing a fly out to escape the sixth before striking out a pair of Falcons to close out the seventh. Messer improved to 4-4 on the year following his second shutout of 2011. Miller went the distance on the mound for NDC, falling to 3-2 after allowing the two runs (one earned) on five hits. Rosenberg led the way at the plate for the Pioneers, going 3-for-4 with a double.

Malone and Notre Dame are slated to wrap up the four-game series on Saturday at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton. Weather permitting, first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.