May 1, 2004
Final Stats
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA. - Freshman starter Kevin Mulvey pitched eighth strong innings to earn his fourth victory of the year and the Villanova offense registered big hit after big hit as the Wildcats defeated Pittsburgh, 8-5, on Saturday, May 1st in the third and final game of a three-game series between the two teams at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. With the win, the `Cats improved to 25-18-1 overall on the season and 7-13 in Big East Conference play. The Panthers, holding a slim lead on first place in the Big East coming into the day, dropped to 28-12 overall and 12-5 in conference action.
Pittsburgh took the game's first lead with a single run in the second inning off of Mulvey. Second baseman Jim Negrych led the inning off with a single up the middle, and after advancing to second on a wild pitch, came around to score on an RBI single by third baseman Mike Scanzano to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Pittsburgh doubled their lead to 2-0 as first baseman Tom Cashman took Mulvey's first pitch of the inning over the wall in right field for a solo home run.
Villanova would rally in the bottom of the fourth inning against Panthers' starter Paul Nardozzi. Wildcat third baseman Angelo Petracca drew a one-out walk to start the rally. Leftfielder Brian Newbold then followed with a towering two-run home run to left-center field to tie the contest at 2-2. The home run was the second in two games for Newbold, and the fifth of the season for the Villanova standout.
Mulvey kept Pittsburgh scoreless over the next two innings, sending the game into the bottom of the sixth inning tied at 2-2.
The Wildcat offense put together a big sixth inning, breaking out for five runs on five hits to take their first lead of the game at 7-2. With one out in the inning, Petracca and first baseman Adrian Schau notched back-to-back singles and Newbold was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the `Cats. On a 2-1 count, Villanova rightfielder Alan Day got a hold of a Nardozzi pitch and hammered a bases clearing double off the wall in left-center to give the Wildcats a 5-2 advantage. Designated hitter Danny Poydenis and catcher Jim Gillin added RBI singles later in the inning to extend the Villanova lead to 7-2.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Wildcats added one more run to make it an 8-2 game in favor of Villanova. Poydenis recorded his second RBI single in as many innings, knocking in Petracca to add to the `Cats' lead.
Mulvey continued to get stronger as the game went on. With a runner on second and one out in the seventh inning, he struck out back-to-back hitters to end the threat. One inning later, Mulvey posted a 1-2-3 eighth inning, striking out two more Panther batters to help the Wildcats maintain their 8-2 lead.
Pittsburgh began to rally in the top of the ninth inning against Mulvey. With runners at the corners and no outs, centerfielder Ben Copeland reach base on a Villanova error allowing pinch runner Jim Mayer to score and trim the Wildcat lead to 8-3. The Panthers had runners at second and third later in the inning when shortstop Bryan Spamer lined a two-run single to centerfield to cut the Villanova advantage to 8-5. With a runner on first and still no outs in the ninth, Wildcat left-hander Mike Ciccotelli came on in relief of Mulvey. Ciccotelli proceeded to close the book on the Panthers, retiring three consecutive batters to end the game. He struck out Pittsburgh slugger P.J. Hiser for the first out of the inning, got Cashman to fly out to center for the second out, and got Negrych to ground out to Mark Cardillo at second to end the contest with Villanova taking the 8-5 victory.
Mulvey (4-4) earned the win for the Wildcats, holding the high-powered Panther offense to five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in eight innings, walking one and tying his career-high with seven strikeouts. Ciccotelli pitched one scoreless inning of relief striking out one to pick up his third save of the year.
Nardozzi (4-3) took the loss for Pittsburgh, giving up six runs on six hits in five and a third innings, striking out four and walking one.
Villanova had a number of offensive standouts on Saturday - Newbold went one-for-two with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI; Poydenis went three-for-four with two RBI; Day went one-for-four with a double and three RBI; Schau went two-for-three with two runs scored; Petracca went one-for-three with two runs scored and Gillin went one-for-four with a double and an RBI.
Saturday was also Senior Day for the Wildcats, with the Villanova baseball program honoring its six seniors - Mike Ciccotelli, Dan Farino, Brian Newbold (5th year senior/Grad. Student), Danny Poydenis, Adrian Schau and Brian Trotta. The Wildcat seniors combined for six hits, five runs and four RBI on Senior Day, while Ciccotelli earned his third save of the year.
For the Panthers, Spamer led the way going two-for-five with a double and a team-high two RBI.
Villanova will next play on Thursday, May 6th, taking on Lehigh in the Championship Game of the Liberty Bell Classic at 7:00 p.m., at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia.
