Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. - A weak dribbler past the mound with two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the ninth inning turned into an infield hit and was the difference in a close game as Villanova (8-21, 2-2 BIG EAST) narrowly lost the opener of a three-game series to Creighton (16-16, 6-1 BIG EAST) at TD Ameritrade Park on Friday night. The host Bluejays tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning before winning the game in their final turn at the plate.

Freshman first baseman Ryan Toohers (Florham Park, N.J.) and freshman shortstop Timothy Lilly (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) combined for five hits at the bottom of the Wildcats batting order. Seven of the nine hitters in the Villanova lineup either scored or drove in a run, and the Wildcats took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. Sophomore designated hitter JP Radvany (Lawrenceville, N.J.) delivered a two-run single as part of a four-run fifth inning which had put Villanova in front.

The potential winning run was at second base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Wildcats elected to intentionally walk cleanup hitter Michael Emodi to set up the chance for a force play. A balk called on freshman reliever Tyler Arella (East Northport, N.Y.) prior to the first pitch of the free pass moved the base runner to third, and set up what would turn out to be the final play of the game. In a lefty-lefty matchup against Will Robertson, Arella got ahead 1-2 on a pair of breaking balls low and away.

He went to the same location a third time and Robertson barely managed to make contact on a ball that he grounded in between the mound and shortstop. Lilly charged the ball and fired to first, but Robertson was able to beat the throw as Isaac Collins scored with the winning run. Collins had drawn a one-out walk against sophomore reliever Jason Applegate (Columbus, N.J.).

Sophomore starting pitcher Jonathan Rosero (Middle Village, N.Y.) gave Villanova everything it could ask for and pitched into the eighth inning in the latest of a strong string of starts. He worked out of a jam in the bottom of the fourth inning after Creighton had runners at second and third with one out, but in the bottom of the fifth a sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI double had the Bluejays in front by a 3-0 margin.

The response by the Wildcats was a four-run fifth inning during which the tables turned as 10 men came to the plate. Toohers doubled down the left field line with one out and nobody on to start the rally, and Lilly followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Junior leadoff hitter David Gulati (Collegeville, Pa.) reached on a fielder's choice to score Toohers, but the play ended with Gulati at first and Lilly at second when a fielding error was committed on the play. Senior right fielder Donovan May (Newark, Del.) walked to load the bases, then hustled to beat a throw to second on senior second baseman Todd Czinege's (Overland Park, Kan.) infield single to third.

Czinege's hit pulled Villanova to within 3-2 and Radvany followed with a terrific at-bat, seeing eight pitches from Creighton starter Rollie Lacy before grounding a ball down the third base line for a two-run single that evaded the dive of Bluejays third baseman Bryce Only.

Rosero worked the bottom of the fifth inning with a lead for the first time, and allowed a pair of singles before making a nice play on a chopper hit to his left to start a 1-6-3 double play which ended the inning. He rode a wave of momentum after that double play, working around a two-out single in the sixth inning and retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Freshman left fielder Tyler Bruno (Breinigsville, Pa.) walked to lead off the eighth inning, moved up to second on a sacrifice by sophomore third baseman David Rodgers (West Chester, Pa.) and scored with two outs on Lilly's line drive single to left which extended the Wildcats lead to 5-3.

Emodi led off the home half of the eighth inning with a single to center and Robertson homered on a 2-2 pitch to tie the game at 5-5. Applegate (1-2, 9.00 ERA) relieved Rosero, struck out the first batter he faced and got out of the inning without any trouble to keep the game tied.

The seven-plus inning effort by Rosero marked the third straight start in which he has worked into the seventh inning or later. He wound up being charged with 11 hits and five earned runs while walking three and striking out three. Rosero still has a 2.20 ERA over his last four starts.

Villanova wound up getting seven of its nine hits against Lacy, who was done in by the long fifth inning. He gave up the seven hits and four runs (three earned) in five innings of work, walked one, struck out six and hit a batter.

The second game of the series is on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time when senior Hunter Schryver (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) faces Jeff Albrecht in an all-lefty matchup.

NOTES: Lilly's three hits were a season high ââ'¬Â¦ Czinege has reached base at a .415 clip during a 12-game streak of reaching base safely ââ'¬Â¦ It is the longest streak on the team this season ââ'¬Â¦ Sophomore catcher Doug deMarrais (Bernardsville, N.J.) singled in the second inning to extend his own streak of reaching base to a career-best eight games ââ'¬Â¦ He has a .364 on-base percentage during the streak.