March 4, 2002

Box Score

HOMESTEAD, FL. - On Monday, March 4, at Kings Stadium in Homestead, Fla., the Villanova baseball team was defeated by Duquesne in 10 innings, 3-2, despite a dominant performance on the mound by starter Brian Slocum. The Wildcats fall to 3-6 overall on the season with the loss.

In the top of the third inning, Dukes' centerfielder Chad Williams struck out but reached first on a passed ball. Shortstop Dan Schwartzbauer followed with a single through the right side, moving Williams to third with no outs. After Williams scored Duquesne's first run on a wild pitch, Schwartzbauer came around to score on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Jason Startari to give the Dukes a 2-0 advantage.

Slocum took over from there, holding Duquesne hitless over the next four and two-thirds innings. Beginning in the fourth inning, Slocum struck out seven consecutive Dukes.

Villanova cut the Duquesne lead to one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Left fielder Adrian Schau and third baseman Brendan Trainor both earned one-out walks and advanced on a balk by Dukes' starter Craig Antolik to put runners at second and third. Freshman right fielder Matt Derr gave the Wildcats' their first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Schau and trim the Duquesne lead to 2-1.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, junior Dustin Downs got the Villanova rally started with a one-out double to center field. First baseman Rob Cafiero followed Downs' double with one of his own, looping a double down the leftfield line to score Downs and tie the game at 2-2.

With the game still tied in the bottom of the ninth, the Wildcats looked to put the game away. Derr began the inning with a single to center field. With one out, Antolik got catcher Greg Fater to ground into an inning ending double play.

In the top of the 10th inning, Duquesne designated hitter Pete Maropis doubled to left-center field off of Villanova reliever James Baxter. Dukes' first baseman Adam Brooks followed with a single up the middle, scoring Maropis to give Duquesne a 3-2 lead.

Antolik pitched a scoreless 10th inning to pick up the victory for the Dukes. He pitched all 10 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out 10 and walking four.

Baxter took the loss for the Wildcats to fall to 1-1. Slocum pitched seven and two-thirds innings of dominant baseball, giving up just two unearned runs on three hits, walking three and striking out a career-high 12 batters.

At the plate for the Wildcats, Cafiero and Derr each went one-for-three with one RBI apiece.

Villanova will get back into action on Tuesday, March 5, playing Fairfield at 10:00 a.m. in Homestead, Fla.