INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Senior starting pitcher Paige Rauch (Windsor, N.Y.) fired a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts, tied the program's career home run record with two solo blasts, became the first batter in school history to be intentionally walked twice in the same game and scored all three runs to nearly single-handedly lift Villanova (9-7, 1-0 BIG EAST) to a 3-0 victory over Butler (9-9, 2-2 BIG EAST) in the Wildcats conference opener at the Butler Softball Field on Saturday afternoon. Villanova also won the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, 4-1, later in the day.
 
Rauch hit solo home runs with one out in the top of the first and third innings to tie the Wildcats career record with 34 home runs. She is now even in the Villanova record book with Meghan Morese (2007-10) and has five multi-home run games in a Wildcats uniform. Rauch, who played her freshman season at Fordham in 2018, has 50 total homers during her collegiate career. Her five multi-homer games are the most in Villanova history. Rauch also has the highest career batting average (.420), on-base percentage (.517) and slugging percentage (.878) in the 45-year history of the Wildcats softball program.
 
The home run record was nearly overshadowed by Rauch's pitching prowess, as she flirted with a no-hitter before giving up a bunt single up the third base line with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. A soft single to left leading off the seventh inning was the Bulldogs only other hit. Rauch (5-2, 3.35 ERA) walked one and hit a batter while pitching the third shutout in her last four starts. Dating back to a one-inning relief appearance at Saint Joseph's on March 10, Rauch has given up just two runs over her last 29 2/3 innings pitched. She has won five straight decisions since losing her first two starts of the year. Saturday's performance was her 10^th career game with 10 or more strikeouts.
 
Rauch went to the opposite field on a 2-0 pitch in the first inning and homered to left-center field to give Villanova an immediate lead. She was down in the count 0-2 in the third inning when she pulled a ball for a long home run to right-center. In the fifth inning Rauch stepped into the batter's box with one out and nobody one for the third straight plate appearance, but this time Butler chose to walk her intentionally even with the bases empty. They did the same with one out and nobody on in the seventh inning. Officially kept game records dating back to the Wildcats first varsity season in 1977 do not have any other instance of a Villanova batter being twice intentionally walked in a game.
 
The walk in the fifth inning ultimately proved to be a costly gamble as Rauch came around to score anyway. Junior third baseman Megan Kern (Royersford, Pa.) singled through the left side to move Rauch to second, and with two out in the inning junior catcher Ryan Henry (Ramsey, N.J.) lined an RBI single to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Rauch hit the leadoff batter in the second inning and issued a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth, but cruised into the second inning with neither base runner ever advancing past first base. Her no-hit bit ended when Bulldogs leadoff batter Lauren Fey bunted a 1-1 offering up the third base line with one out in the sixth. Kern fielded the ball and made a strong throw to first which arrived just after Fey on a bang-bang play. Bri Avery bunted to nearly the same spot, and this time Kern's throw got to first in time as Fey advanced on the sacrifice. Rauch then sturck out starting pitcher Karli Ricketts (6-4, 2.60 ERA) to end the inning.
 
Cleanup hitter Mackenzie Griman hit a bloop single into left field on the first pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Rauch finished off the shutout with three consecutive strikeouts to end the game. Villanova has won each of its last two BIG EAST openers after losing seven straight conference openers from 2012-18.  
 
Kern went 2-for-4 in the game and sophomore designated player Ally Jones (Brielle, N.J.) was on base twice with a pair of walks. After Jones walked with one out in the second inning, junior center fielder Sydney Hayes (Douglassville, Pa.) ran for her and stole second before ultimately being stranded in scoring position.