April 8, 2000
Box Score
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J.--- On Saturday, April 8, at Carroll Field in South Orange, N.J., the Villanova University baseball team split a Big East doubleheader with Seton Hall University, losing game one 3-0, but coming back in the second contest of the day to defeat the Pirates 7-3 in 13 innings. The Wildcats' record now stands at 13-16 overall on the season and 4-7 in conference play, while Seton Hall in now 19-9 overall and 5-3 in the Big East.
In game one, the Pirates scored two runs in the first inning off of Villanova starter Aaron Krawiec. With one out, left fielder Joe Cuervo reached base on an error by Wildcat first baseman Rob Cafiero and scored two batters later on a single by Seton Hall first baseman Alfie Critelli. Before the inning was over, the Pirates would add another unearned run to lead 2-0.
Seton Hall would add to its lead in the second, on a RBI-single by centerfielder Mike Bascom. With Pirate hurler Mike Wren keeping the Villanova offense in check, Seton Hall went on to post a 3-0 victory.
Wren earned the shutout to improve to 3-0, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out four. Krawiec took the loss for the `Cats, despite allowing just one earned run (and three runs total) on five hits and one walk in six innings, striking out two.
Villanova looked for redemption in the second game, but found themselves down 2-0 after three innings of play. In the fourth inning, however, the Wildcats finally got on the scoreboard. Second baseman Matt Longo walked to start the inning, and advanced to third as outfielder Dave Pizzini reached second on a Pirate error. Two batters later, third baseman Brendan Trainor grounded out to score Longo with Villanova's first run of the day. Pizzini scored on a wild pitch later in the frame to tie the game at 2-2.
Three innings later in the seventh, the Wildcats got their first lead of the day, 3-2, on a RBI-double by shortstop Brendan Mannix. The lead was short-lived, as Seton Hall tied the game once more with a RBI-double in the ninth by Critelli off Villanova pitcher Brian Slocum.
Freshman pitcher Tom Kandybowicz relieved Slocum in the tenth, and shut down the Pirate offense. In the 13th, Longo and Pizzini opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Cafiero was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. After Isaac Pavlik came on to pitch for the Hall, Trainor reached on a fielder's choice to score Pizzini with the go-ahead run. Designated hitter Nick Piantek and catcher Dan Glover each tallied RBI-singles to give Villanova a 7-3 advantage.
Kandybowicz was able to shut down the Seton Hall offense in the bottom of the 13th, to seal a 7-3 win for the Wildcats. The win was his third of the year and improved his record to 3-1.
At the plate for Villanova in game two, Longo went four-for-five with a double and two runs scored. Trainor led the `Cats with two RBI in the contest, giving him 14 for the season.
Villanova and Seton Hall will battle it out again on Sunday, April 9, playing a single game at 12:00 p.m., in South Orange.
