April 27, 2000

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, PA.--- In the home finale for the Villanova baseball team on Thursday, April 27, at Richie Ashburn Field in Philadelphia, the Wildcats came back from a one-run eighth inning deficit to defeat La Salle University 11-9. Villanova improves to 22-20 overall with the win, while the Explorers fall to 8-30. The game was the last home contest for Wildcat seniors Will Henry, Drew Kirchner, Brian Manning, John Picone and Chris Watson.

Down 1-0 in the second, Villanova tied the game on a sacrifice fly by sophomore third baseman Brendan Mannix. The RBI was Mannix's eighth of the season and evened the score at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Wildcat offense came alive with four runs. Following a leadoff double by leftfielder Dave Pizzini, first baseman Rob Cafiero hit his fifth home run of the year off of La Salle pitcher Alex Roberti. Second baseman Matt Longo followed Cafiero with a triple and was driven home on a home run by designated hitter Nick Piantek, Villanova's second long ball of the inning.

Just when it looked like the Wildcats were pulling away, the Explorers staged a rally of their own against starter Aaron Krawiec. Shortstop Kevin Ibach got La Salle started with a RBI single. Later in the inning, catcher Kevin Wittmeyer drove home three with a double to right-center to tie the contest at 5-5.

One inning later, Villanova reclaimed the lead. Pizzini was hit by a pitch and stole second. A Cafiero single plated Pizzini with the `Cats' sixth run of the game. Longo and Piantek each posted RBI doubles to give Villanova a 8-5 advantage.

The Explorers put together another big inning in the fifth, with their second consecutive four-run frame. Centerfielder Mike Bell, second baseman Jon Palumbo, Ibach and designated hitter Tim Slater each had RBI in the inning for La Salle, as the Explorers stole a 9-8 lead.

Wildcat reliever Bob Grzenda came on in the fifth to relieve Krawiec and shut the door on the La Salle offense. Grzenda threw four and one-third shutout innings for Villanova, allowing just one hit and one walk.

Grzenda's outstanding mound work set the stage for a Wildcat rally in the eighth. Freshman Chris Graziano tallied a pinch-hit single to lead off the inning. A single by Pizzini, allowed Graziano to advance to third. After Cafiero was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded against Explorer relief pitcher Mike Cavallaro with no outs in the ninth inning. Longo followed with a ground ball to first baseman Mike Fuchs. Fuchs threw the ball home to get Graziano for the first out, but Wittmeyer's throw to first saled over the head of Fuchs allowing Pizzini to score the go-ahead run. The `Cats would add one more run on a sac fly by rightfielder Brian Hearne, as Villanova pulled away for the 11-9 win.

Grzenda came back in the ninth and put the finishing touches on his second win of the season. Cavallaro took the loss for La Salle to drop to 3-7.

At the plate for the Wildcats, Cafiero and Piantek each had three hits, while Pizzini, Longo and freshman Mike Duncan each recorded two. Cafiero went three-for-four on the day with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI. Piantek registered a three-for-four game as well, with a double, home run and three RBI.

Villanova's Thursday victory will be shown on CN8 on Sunday, April 30, at 8:00 p.m., and on Monday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m.

The Wildcats will travel to La Salle University on Friday, April 28, to wound down the week versus the Explorers at 3:30 p.m.