WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Villanova baseball team fell to the Army Black Knights 23-11 on Wednesday afternoon on the campus of the United States Military Academy.
Getting the start on the mound was Jason Applegate which was his first career start.
Will Reiner went two for four including a triple. Reiner also had four RBI, tying his career high previously set earlier this season against Mount St. Mary's.
Sam Margulis three for three and led the Wildcats with three hits. Margulis also had one RBI.
In the bottom of the first Army scored five runs on three hits.
Villanova in the top of the second, Ryan Toohers led off with a single to center field. John Heilenbach walked and then Sam Margulis singled to load the bases. A groundout to first base scored the Wildcat's first run of the game. Tyler Bruno singled through the right side scoring Heilenbach. Dylan McNary reached on a fielding error by the second baseman scoring Margulis to make it 5-3 Army.
Army answered back in the bottom of the second, a single through the left side scored the runner on second making it 6-3 Army. The next batter hit a two-run home run to left field and it was 8-3 Army.
The Wildcats quickly responded in the top of the third. JP Radvany led off with a double to left center field. Toohers was then hit by a pitch. Then with one out and runners on the corners, Will Reiner singled through the left side scoring Radvany and it was 9-4 Army. Margulis followed it up with a double to left field scoring Toohers to make it 5-9. Jeff Manto hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Reiner and the Wildcats made it a three-run game of 9-6.
Army had the bases loaded with one out and McKenna singled to right field to give Army a 10-6 lead. The next batter walked and it was 11-6 Army. Villanova got out of the inning with a 4-3 double play.
Army scored five runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth and three runs In the bottom of the third to lead 19-6.
In the top of the sixth, Will Reiner cleared the bases with a triple to right field making it 19-9 Villanova.
The Black Knights scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to increase their lead to 22-9.
Villanova had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the eighth and Theron Schilling hit a sacrifice fly to left field but was dropped and both Wildcats scored to make it 22-11 Army.
Army scored one in the bottom of the eighth and the Wildcats went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and Army won 23-11.
Villanova's final homestand is the weekend as the Xavier Musketeers come to Villanova Ballpark for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is at 3:00 p.m.
