VILLANOVA, Pa. – Ryan Henry and Paige Rauch hit home runs while Rauch hurled seven innings of one run ball to help Villanova defeat Providence 6-1 in Game 1 of a BIG EAST doubleheader played Saturday at its Softball Complex.
 
The Wildcats broke on top in the bottom half of the first inning when Angela Giampolo followed an infield single by Paige Rauch with a double down the left field line to plate the game's first run. A Chloe Smith single advanced the runners to second and third.Julia DaCosta followed with a deep sacrifice fly to right field that scored both runs to push the lead to 3-0 after four Nova batters had stepped into the box.
 
Providence got a run back in the top half of the second inning on a solo home run to center field by Jessica Tomaso.
 
Villanova got right back to work in the bottom of the second inning when Brooklyn Ostrowski beat out an infield single and moved to third base on a double over the head of centerfielder Natalie Orchard by Sydney Hayes. But Providence wiggled out of the jam by retiring the next three Villanova batters to keep the count at 3-1 after two innings.
 
The Wildcats scored once in the bottom of the third when Julia DaCosta and Tess Cites both doubled to stretch the lead to 4-1 after three innings.
 
Rauch set the Friars down in the top of the fourth, ending the frame by snaring a line drive into the pitcher's circle off the bat of Madi Traver. In the bottom half of the inning, Hayes led off with a bunt single and advanced to third on a pair of ground outs. Giampolo worked out a walk and then stole second base. But the Friars escaped without suffering further scoring damage.
 
Meanwhile, Rauch was in a groove on the circling, retiring 11 consecutive Friars' batters after the Tomaso homer.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fifth catcher Ryan Henry sent a deep blast over the fence in right center field to extend the Nova lead to 5-1.
 
Providence got its first baserunner since the second when Molly McGarry walked in the sixth but Rauch took care of the next two Friar runners and the score remained 5-1 headed to the bottom of the sixth inning. With two out, Rauch drilled her sixth home run of the season over the wall in right field to make it 6-1.
 
The Friars loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. But pinch hitter hit a fly ball to medium center field where Hayes caught it and then fired a strike to Henry to erase Tori Grifone trying to advance from third base to end the game.