Final Stats

VILLANOVA, Pa. - After beating the Maine Black Bears in yesterday's matchup to open the USF Under Armour Showcase the Wildcats got back to it today in the first of two games on the day. The first game was against the Mercer Bears. The Wildcats held a lead for most of the game with the Bears totaling all of their runs in the fifth and seventh innings to complete a comeback. Natalie Shiver was the hero for Mercer, as it was her walk-off single that ended the game at 5-4 Bears.

Villanova drops to 4-7 on the season while the Bears improve to 11-11.

Brittany Husk really broke out in this game going three for four on the day including her first career home run, her first career stolen base and two singles. Husk is now the team leader in RBI and is tied with Aleshia Ayers for the home run lead with one each.

Kate Poppe was on the mound for the Wildcats and once again pitched a full game, letting the other pitchers rest for the second game of the day vs. SIUE. She racked up eight strikeouts on the day and didn't allow her first run until the bottom of the fifth inning.

Mercer countered Poppe with Anna O'Neill who didn't fare as well. She only lasted 4.2 innings before the Wildcats knocked her out of the game in their big fifth inning. O'Neill was in line for the loss had Mercer not put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Kirsten Stevens replaced O'Neill in the fifth and was eventually the pitcher of record when the Bears took the victory. Her record improves to 7-6.

The first Wildcats run came on Husk's homer in the bottom of the third inning. The run was her fifth run driven in on the season and the second home run the Wildcats have hit this season as a team.

After Poppe struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth, Villanova was able to add to the lead with a three run rally in the top of the fifth inning. Lauren Herschberg led off the inning as she does so often with a base hit up the middle. Shea Palmer then followed her up with another single that allowed Herschberg to reach third base. Dana Morris, Chase Snell and Sierra McConnell then produced three consecutive RBI singles to put the Wildcats up 4-0.

The Bears scored their first three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two run single by Natalie Shiver and another RBI single by Kaytlin Haney. This cut the Wildcats lead down to one at 4-3 with two inning left to play.

Mercer started their game-winning rally in the seventh with a leadoff single by Taylor Miller followed by a walk by Meghan Rud. Miller was pushed to third base on a fly out by Riley Carter and later scored on a passed ball. This brought up Natalie Shiver for the game-winning RBI single which ended the game as Rud crossed the plate for the Bears.

The second game of the day will have the Villanova Wildcats facing off against the SIUE Cougars.