April 7, 2017

Box Score | Notes

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Just three outs away from becoming the victim of a perfect game, Villanova (5-16, 1-0 BIG EAST) dug deep for one of its most thrilling and dramatic victories in recent memory. Senior second baseman Todd Czinege (Overland Park, Kan.) singled through the right side to drive in the tying and game-winning runs with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Wildcats to a 3-2 win over Xavier (17-13, 0-1 BIG EAST) just moments after it appeared the Musketeers would have a chance to make history.

Xavier starting pitcher Zac Lowther retired the first 24 batters he faced and allowed little in the way of even making contact, let alone a base runner. He had 16 strikeouts -- nine swinging, seven looking -- while not allowing a base runner through the first eight innings. The pitching for Villanova was also very good in the conference opener for both teams and the start of a three-game series. As a result, there was little margin for error and Lowther began the ninth inning with only a 2-0 lead.

"You have to tip your hat to [Lowther], Wildcats head coach Kevin Mulvey said. "He did a great job all day. He was in the zone on both sides of the plate and had our guys off balance. Our guys battled and kept fighting, didn't feel sorry for themselves. They kept their head up, got better and better. We didn't get a hit off their guy, but we made him throw more pitches and eventually he had to come out of the game. I was really proud of our guys for how they battled."

Sophomore third baseman David Rodgers (West Chester, Pa.) walked on four pitches to lead off the bottom of the ninth, ending the perfect game bid and quite suddenly bringing the tying run to the plate. Or maybe it was not so sudden. Lowther threw a total of 47 pitches from the sixth through eighth innings as the Wildcats batters worked their at-bats and started to at least get a better look at Lowther's array of pitches that all seemed to have late movement.

Still, down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth and getting no-hit. Steep hill to climb.

"That's why it was so big that Rosy and App and Andy had good games, because they kept us in the game and gave us a chance," Czinege said of the three Villanova pitchers who combined on a six-hitter. "Obviously the walk-off is going to get a lot of attention but the pitching staff today pitched phenomenal. Back to Rutgers on Wednesday, and then coming into today. They did a phenomenal job."

Musketeers closer Taylor Williams (2-1, 4.50 ERA) took over for Lowther after the walk to Rodgers, as an elevated pitch count and the game situation loomed larger than the no-hit bid. Williams walked freshman first baseman Ryan Toohers (Florham Park, N.J.) on four pitches, and freshman shortstop Timothy Lilly (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) followed with a sacrifice bunt which moved the runners up to second and third with one out.

As the Villanova dugout and a throng of loyal fans came to life on a frigid and windy day, Williams struck out junior leadoff hitter David Gulati (Collegeville, Pa.) for the second out of the ninth inning. It wound up being the final out recorded in the game. Freshman left fielder Tyler Bruno (Breinigsville, Pa.) walked to load the bases and senior right fielder Donovan May (Newark, Del.) bounced a slow roller between short and third with the bases loaded. May beat the throw to first by less than a step to extend the game, and in the process end both the no-hit bid and the shutout.

Czinege swung and missed at two of the first three pitches and was in a 1-2 hole, but he fouled off the fourth pitch and then smacked a low line drive well past the dive of second baseman Sam Flamini to plate sophomore pinch runner Lukas DeRenzi (Mendham, N.J.) with the tying run and Bruno with the winning run. The rest of the Wildcats came pouring out of the first base dugout and celebrated the unlikely victory near the exact spot between first and second base where Czinege's hit had just passed through.

"Todd's a gamer man," Mulvey said. "I was talking to him before he got up that I could see it happening. I told him you have to visualize it. Donny's going to get on and you're going to get the job done. That's all there is to it, and it came to fruition. You have to give credit to our pitchers and defense because they kept us in the game. For it to only be a two-run deficit, we're still in the game because of our pitching. So you have to give credit to Rosero, Applegate and Owen."

Mulvey and Czinege were each correct in their assessment of the Villanova pitching effort. Sophomore starter Jonathan Rosero (Middle Village, N.Y.) tied a career high with six strikeouts and allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Sophomore reliever Jason Applegate (Columbus, N.J.) stranded inherited runners at second and third in the seventh inning and recorded four outs before junior Andrew Owen (Chicago, Ill.) pitched a perfect ninth.

Rosero faced a huge jam in the top of the third inning when consecutive singles put runners at the corners with nobody out. He nearly escaped the inning unscathed though, as he caught a soft liner on a bunt attempt for the first out and then struck out BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Joe Gellenbeck for the second out of the inning. A passed ball while Rylan Bannon was batting allowed an unearned run to score before Rosero got out of the jam with a walk and a fly to right.

Xavier loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh inning on a hit batter, an infield single and a line drive hit to center. Leadoff hitter Chris Givin drove a ball into center field which Gulati ran down for the second out, although a run scored on the sacrifice fly and the other runners moved up to second and third. Applegate got Gellenbeck to ground out to second, then struck out the side in a perfect eighth. Owen (1-0, 3.86 ERA) earned his first collegiate win after pitching the top of the ninth.

"It's a lot of fun," Czinege said. "There is always a lot of good energy on this team, and stringing wins back to back feels really good. Hopefully it gives some of the younger guys a lot of confidence going forward. It shows them that we can do this, and it is a lot of fun to be a part of."

Will Larue and Matt Fallon had two hits apiece for the Musketeers, who had won four in a row and 10 of their last 12 entering the start of conference play.

The series continues on Saturday at 1 p.m. when Villanova senior lefty Hunter Schryver (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) opposes Xavier righty Garrett Schilling.