PHOENIX, Arizona - Villanova (1-2) once again hung close with No. 3 Arizona State (2-2), but wasn't able to get the late hits it needed and fell to ASU 6-4 on Sunday afternoon.

Villanova used the big plays to score while ASU grinded out its runs in the rubber match of the season opening series.

Arizona State struck quickly on Sunday, plating a run on a second-inning sac fly. Siegenthaler answered with his first career strikeout to strand a runner at third.

ASU tacked on more in the third. After a single and double put two in scoring postion with nobody out, Cole Vanderslice was called to the hill for his debut. A wild pitch and two more sac flies pushed three runs across in the frame.

Vanderslice calmed down in the fourth and sat the Sun Devils down in order and recorded his first career strikeout in the process. He continued rolling through the next two innings, and retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced to keep Villanova within striking distance.

After a two-out walk to Will Reiner in the seventh, Dylan McNary took advantage of staying close, and hit a two-run home run to left-center, the third of his career, to even the score.

ASU had a potential chance to blow the game open in the bottom of the seventh. ASU managed to get runners to second and third with one out for three and four hole hitters in the order. A pass ball plated the go-ahead run, but Tyler Bruno made sure that was as much as they got. A fly ball to right set up a 9-2 double play as the runner on third tried to tag and score, but was gunned down by Bruno at the plate.

Villanova had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the eighth. With two on, a sac bunt put two in scoring position with one out. A pass ball looked like it would tie the game, but Sam Margulis was cut down at home trying to score. Nick Lorusso then struck out for the third out to end the threat.

After ASU added one more in the bottom of the eighth, Villanova looked to threaten again in the ninth. After a leadoff walk brought the tying run to the plate, Tim Lilly hit a rocket back up the middle. Unfortunately, he hit right into the shift and the second baseman snagged the line drive and doubled off Toohers at first to thwart the potential final inning rally.

Villanova pitching was solid again, using four arms (Arella and Mathes each worked one inning) to limit ASU to five hits.

Offensively, Villanova was held to just two hits, but each plated two runs to keep Villanova in the game.

The Wildcats have the week off before the next road trip, three games at Campbell in Buies Creek, NC. Villanova will begin next weekend against Maine on Friday at 1 p.m., followed by Campbell on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Purdue on Sunday at 10 a.m.

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