CHARLESTON, S.C.-Behind eight innings of one-run ball from Cole Patten, the Wildcats earned their first win of the season with a 6-1 triumph over The Citadel. Villanova improves to 1-4 while the Bulldogs drop to 5-1.

Fresh off an impressive start in Malibu the previous week, Patten picked up where he left off and set the tone early for Villanova. In the first two innings, Patten retired his first six batters. The Bulldogs were able to scratch across a run in the third when Dylan Costa scored on a groundout for a 1-0 lead.

Villanova's lineup provided some run support for Patten in the fourth. AJ Hansen led off the inning with a single and later advanced to second thanks to a well-executed bunt from Cameron Hassert. With Hansen in scoring position, Matt Pinone pulled a ball down the left field line for an RBI single to tie it at one. After Connor Hale singled in the next at-bat to put two runners on base, Pat O'Neill poked a ball out to shallow center for an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-1. Joey Castellanos added an insurance run with an RBI single to center to score Hale for a 3-1 Villanova lead.

The Wildcats added a run in the sixth when Chris Rotondo ripped a single to center to score Hale for a 4-1 lead.

The three-run lead was enough for Patten, who was in a groove the entire way. The Seton Hall transfer finished the day with eight innings of work, allowed just one earned run on two hits and struck out six batters.

In their final chance to bat, Villanova padded their lead to 6-1 when two runners scored on an infield single from AJ Hansen.

Jonathan Cole took the mound in the ninth and tossed a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts to secure the win.

Inside the Box Score
Joey Castellanos went 4-for-5 with an RBI.
Pat O'Neill (2-for-5 with an RBI) and Connor Hale (2-for-3 with two runs scored) recorded multi-hit performances.
Cole Patten has allowed just two earned runs, eight hits and struck out 12 batters in 15 and 2/3 innings of work in his first two outings.  
With the RBI single Saturday, Chris Rotondo has driven in at least one run in each of his last four games.
 
The Wildcats take on the Bulldogs in a rubber match Sunday to close out the series. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.