March 6, 2002
Box Score
HOMESTEAD, FL. - On Wednesday, March 6, at Kings Stadium in Homestead, Fla., the Villanova baseball team blanked Holy Cross, 2-0, behind the outstanding pitching of senior right-hander Bob Grzenda and the hitting of senior second baseman Brendan Trainor. The Wildcats' win was their second straight and improved their record to 5-6 overall on the season. The Crusaders fell to 0-5 on the year with the loss.
In the top of the second inning, Trainor gave Villanova the game's first lead, hammering a 3-1 pitch by Holy Cross starter John Dibble over the left field wall for a home run. The home run was Trainor's second of the season and gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Villanova added to its lead in the top of the fourth inning. First baseman Rob Cafiero walked to begin the inning, and went to third on a double down the left field line by designated hitter Adrian Schau. With one out in the inning, Trainor came up to the plate and lofted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Cafiero to give the `Cats a 2-0 advantage.
Grzenda got into some trouble in the fourth inning, as the Crusaders put runners at second and third with one out. Grzenda was able to escape with no harm done, as he got shortstop Mike Schell to pop out to third and struck out first baseman Drew Bigda.
Holy Cross had runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Grzenda forced Crusader hitters into hitting into two inning-ending double plays to preserve the Wildcats' 2-0 lead.
With one out and one on in the bottom of the ninth inning, Grzenda gave way to Schau. Down in the count to Schell 3-1, Schau got him to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.
Grzenda earned his first victory of the season to improve to 1-1. In eight and one-third innings of action, he allowed just six hits and one walk, while striking out three. Schau got the final two outs of the game to pick up his first save of the year.
Taking the loss for Holy Cross was Dibble, who gave up two runs on five hits in five inning, walking one and striking out one.
At the plate for Villanova, Trainor finished one-for-three with a home run, a sacrifice fly and each of the team's two RBI. Cafiero and third baseman Dustin Downs each went two-for-four in the game.
The Wildcats will get back into action on Friday, March 8, playing St. Bonaventure at 7:30 p.m.at Kings Stadium.
