March 18, 2000

Box Score

Philadelphia, Pa.--- In the 2000 Big East Conference opener on Saturday, March 18, at Richie Ashburn Field in Philadelphia, the Villanova baseball lost a heartbreaker, 5-4, to the University of Pittsburgh. The Wildcats fell to 6-7 overall with the loss and 0-1 in the Big East, while the Panthers improved to 12-5 and 1-0.

Pittsburgh capitalized on a game-opening walk to centerfielder Stuart Rykaceski by posting two straight singles to load the bases. Villanova starter Aaron Krawiec walked rightfielder Darrin Lenhart to force in Rykaceski with the first run of the contest. A RBI groundout by designated hitter Charis Britt gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning.

Krawiec settled down after the first inning and took control of the game. Beginning with a strike out of Rykaceski in the second, he struck out six consecutive batters between the second and fourth innings. In the third frame, Krawiec struck out the side on just 11 pitches.

On the other side of the diamond, Pittsburgh starter Jory Coughenour was just as solid. Coughenour shut down the Wildcat for the first four innings by recording six strikeouts. Villanova finally broke out in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead. With two outs, first baseman Mike Houser knocked in three runs on a bases loaded single. The `Cats would add one more run in the seventh on a RBI single by shortstop Ryan Crammer to lead 4-2.

In the top of the eighth inning, junior Brian Manning relieved Krawiec with two on and two outs. Lenhart hit a three and one pitch through the hole on the left side to cut the margin to 4-3 in favor of Villanova.

With the Wildcats clinging to a 4-3 lead in the ninth, shortstop Chris Happ led off the inning with a roller to short. Crammer made a backhanded stop but the throw to first was not in time. Happ would advance on a two-base error and stood on third with no outs. After a hit batsman put runners at the corners, Carraway grounded into a double play. Happ scored on the plat to tie the game at 4-4.

The Panthers scored one run in the tenth to take a 5-4 advantage. After a walk to Crammer to lead off the bottom of the tenth, Lou Kammermeier came on to relieve Scott Schultz for Pittsburgh. Kammermeier got second baseman Chris McGratty to hit into a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning. The next batter, catcher John Picone, grounded to short for the game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Taking the loss for the `Cats was Manning, who pitched the final two and one-third innings. Not factoring in the decision was Krawiec, who was tremendous yet again for Villanova. Krawiec pitched seven and two-thirds innings for the Wildcats, giving up just three runs on five hits, striking out 11 and walking four.

Schultz (1-0) got the win for the Panthers, with three innings of one-run ball. Kammermeier's scoreless tenth earned him his second save of the season.

At the plate for Villanova, Houser went three-for-three with three RBI. Tallying two hits each for the `Cats were Picone, second baseman Matt Longo and rightfielder Brian Hearne.

Villanova will try to rebound on Sunday, March 19, hosting Pittsburgh for a doubleheader beginning at noon.