Auburn, Al. – In another two-game day on the early season, Villanova beats Eastern Illinois in the first game, and falls to Auburn in the second game.
Eastern Illinois
Everything was clicking in the first game of the day as Villanova beat Eastern Illinois 13-4 in just five innings.
Paige Rauch got the ball for Villanova and delivered another outstanding performance. She went four innings of one hit ball allowing just one run and striking out three. She improved her record to 4-0 and has an ERA of just 1.31.
The Panthers struck first in the game with a bases loaded walk in the top of the first, but could not get any more runs across the board until the last inning when it was too little, too late.
Villanova answered back quickly with a
Julia DaCosta RBI single to score
Angela Giampolo. The Wildcats then got five in the second inning to make it a 6-1 game. Giampolo and Jones each had an RBI single in the inning while DaCosta hit a sac fly, and
Delaney Switzer had a two-run single.
Giampolo kept her hot hitting rolling into the third inning as she hit an RBI double down the right field line to score
Kendall Ohman on the first pitch of the at bat. Jones later stole second in the inning and Giampolo came across to score on an error.
The bases were loaded in the fourth inning for Giampolo and she was hit by the pitch to extend the lead to 9-1. Rauch was up next and walked on the eighth pitch of the at bat to score another run. Jones then hit a two-run double to put the Cats up by 11. They would round out the scoring when Rauch scored on a passed ball.
The bottom of the order was a big key in the win.
Olivia LaQua went 2-3 in the game and also scored two runs for Villanova.
Jordan Olivarez and Ohman each had a hit and Ohman also had a run scored.
Megan Ruiz also scored two runs for the Cats.
Auburn
In the second game of the day Villanova took on #21 Auburn and fell 8-0.
Kalee Smith got the start on the mound for the Wildcats. In the third inning Auburn's offense found their rhythm and started to put runs on the board.
Sara Kennedy came in relief of her but the Tiger's offense was too much to handle.
Giampolo went 1-2 to raise her average to .350 on the year and also recorded a walk. LaQua had the other Villanova hit and raised her average to a team high .412. Jones recorded two walks in the game and in her first plate appearance of the year,
Sara Kennedy reached on a walk.
The Wildcats had the bases loaded in the top of the third but were not able to put any runs on the board. They also had another chance in the top of the fourth when they had runners on first and second with two outs but could not convert.
Villanova currently has a record of 4-3 heading into day two of the Tiger Invitational when they play against Troy at 12:30 P.M. and North Dakota State at 8:00 P.M.
