DOVER, De. – Villanova unloaded its second-most hits of the season and tied its season-high for runs in a 15-5 trouncing of Delaware State on Tuesday at Bob Reed Field, moving the Wildcats into the Liberty Bell Classic Semifinals.

The hot bats of Villanova (7-13-1) tallied 15 hits with 15 runs coming across to extend the winning streak to four-in-a-row. Villanova has score double-digit runs in three straight contests and five times through the first 21 games. Delaware State (6-11) was held to five runs on five hits, the second-fewest hits from an opponent this season, committing four errors, the third time an opposing team has done so in this campaign.

The Wildcats put on a home run derby of sorts, sending a trio of dingers with Will Reiner accounting for a career-best two with a career-high five RBI. He is the second Wildcat this season to score multiple homers in a game, the other being Chris Rotondo. Reiner went 2-for-4 on the day and was walked once. Joey Castellanos recorded the other tater for the 'Cats, his first of the season. The three moon shots by the Wildcats mark the most they have sent flying in a single game since the 2019 season when they did so four times.

With a lead-off single, Rotondo extended his hitting streak to 20 consecutive games, marking the longest streak in the last 20 years based on available records.

Starting pitcher Chic DeGaetano picked up his first win of the season, going six innings with four earned runs on three hits, striking out five with no walks.

Rotondo singled to third to open the game before advancing to second on a wild pitch and then again to third on a groundout. Castellanos roped a shot to right center to bring in Rotondo, giving Villanova a 1-0 lead. With Reiner on third and an out on the board in the top of the second after reaching on a throwing error and moving to third on a single to right, Rotondo hit a SAC fly to center to score Reiner, extending the lead to two.

Villanova posted four runs in the fourth inning, all with just one out on the board.

Cameron Hassert started the scoring bonanza with the bases loaded, drilling a double to right center to bring in Castellanos and Pat O'Neill to push Villanova's lead up, 4-0. With Reiner up to bat, a wild pitch sent Hassert to third with John Whooley crossing home. After a Delaware State pitching change that brought Hiram Davis in for Krew Bouldin, Reiner stole second with Hassert jaunting toward home on the throw, expanding the advantage to 6-0.

Delaware State ended the shutout in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run blast over the left field wall by Bouldin. Castellanos answered that homer with one of his own to start up the fifth, sending a solo rocket to center to put Villanova back up by five at 7-2.

The Hornets cut into the lead with an RBI double from Miguel Rivera and a Bouldin SAC fly, weakening the deficit to 7-4 by the end of the sixth inning. A dropped pop fly to second landed Whooley at first with Hassert coming up to bat. The sophomore doubled to left center, bringing Whooley around to double up the Hornets, 8-4. Reiner came up next and unleashed a two-run bomb over the left field wall to push the lead out to 10-4.

The blazing bats continued into the eighth for Villanova, beginning with a triple to center for Rotondo, his second of the season. O'Neill followed up with a single to left to bring Rotondo home. With runners on first and third, Castellanos was able to reach on a fielding error by the pitcher, pushing O'Reilly to second and sending O'Neill racing to the plate for a 12-4 lead. After two Wildcats were sent down swinging, Reiner rocked a laser over the wall in left center to bring in three runs, swelling the lead to 15-4.

Bouldin opened the bottom of the ninth with another home run to center, getting the Hornets a run back to make it a 10-run affair. They threatened later in the frame, loading the bases on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch, bringing Trey Paige up, but he grounded out to second to end it.

The loss went to Bouldin, pitching 2 1/3 inning with the 'Cats posting six runs, four earned, on six hits against him, walking a pair and striking out one. At the plate, he was 2-for-3 with four RBI.

The Wildcats open BIG EAST action this weekend as they hit the road to Georgetown for a three-game series at Regency Furniture Stadium that starts up on Friday.