GLENVILLE, W.Va. -- The Alderson Broaddus baseball team clinched a playoff berth in the MEC Tournament after splitting a doubleheader on Sunday with Notre Dame College. The Battlers dropped the first game 10-8 and won the second game 7-5 at the Sue Morris Sports Complex in Glenville, WV. The Battlers ended their regular season with a record of 17-18 (16-15 MEC).

Game 1 -

Notre Dame built their lead early, taking a 2-0 advantage in the first inning. Alex Perez got the Battlers on the board in the second inning with an RBI single down the left side.

The Falcons offense added a run in the third inning and caught fire in the fifth inning, scoring four runs.

Taylor Cook led the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple to center field. Chasen Claus brought Cook home in the next at bat with a single through the left field side. The Battlers added another run later in the inning when Claus reached home after a wild pitch.

Notre Dame scored a run in the top of the sixth inning and Alex Perez matched their run with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. The Falcons tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 10-4 lead.

AB was down to their final our in the bottom of the seventh inning when Perez was hit by a pitch. Next, Brock Stewart singled up the middle, advancing Perez to third. Tylyn James walked in the next at bat, loading the bases with Cook coming to the plate.

Cook blasted a grand slam to center field on a full count to make the score 10-8. In the next at bat, Claus flew out to centerfield, ending game one of the doubleheader.

Claus, Cook, and Perez each added two hits for AB in the first game.

Game 2 - 

The second game was scoreless until Cook bashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning. Claus hit a solo shot left center in the following at bat for AB. Cameron Sheets and Lane Casto walked and Joe Alcorn singled through the right side to load the bases for the Battlers. Perez knocked in a pair of runs with a double to left field.

The Falcons fought back in the fourth inning when Ben Ross hit a three-run homer to make the score 5-3.

Cook led off the bottom of the fourth inning by hitting his third homer of the day with a solo home run to let field. The Battlers extended their lead to 7-3 when Perez hit his second home run of the day with a lead off solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Notre Dame scored one run in the sixth and seventh inning to narrow the deficit. Ryan Varley struck out the final Falcon batter, earning the save for AB.

Braden Mullenix picked up the win for AB, improving to 2-4 on the season. Cook and Perez each had two hits and three RBIs in the win for the Battlers.

Alderson Broaddus (17-18, 16-15 MEC) will take on West Virginia State (28-7, 24-4 MEC) in the first round of the MEC Tournament on Thursday, May 13 at noon.