PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – A 3-0 Villanova lead through the first inning was answered by 11 unanswered Butler runs off defensive miscues and timely hits as the Wildcats fell 11-3 in the series finale on Sunday at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.
Villanova (11-16-1, 3-3 BIG EAST) committed three errors in the game with two leading to Butler (15-17, 1-2 BIG EAST). The Bulldogs had two four-run innings late to blow the game open.
Wildcat pitchers scattered 15 hits on the day with Villanova bats connecting on seven. Three of those came from
Joey Castellanos who extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a 3-for-4 day, adding a run.
John Whooley had a season high two RBI, going 1-for-3 on Sunday. They both accounted for the only extra-base hits that the 'Cats saw on the day, each recording doubles.
Aided by wind coming in from left, Whooley sent a look that fell just away from Butler's left fielder, James Gargano for a double, sending
Jack O'Reilly and Castellanos racing home from second and first, respectively, after reaching on a single and a fielder's choice. Next up,
Will Reiner hit a shot toward second but Billy Wurch bobbled the toss to first, allowing Reiner to reach on the error with Whooley making his way across the plate to give the 'Cats an early 3-0 lead.
Fielding miscues for Villanova in the top of the fifth proved costly, allowing Butler to make a comeback.
Wurch reached on an error by
Pat O'Neill, the first of the day by the Wildcats. A deep single to right by Garret Gray allowed the runners to advance two bases, placing Wurch and Gray and third and second, respectively. Nick Ortega grounded out on the third pitch he faced, sending Wurch home to put the Bulldogs on the board. A single to center by Gargano put runners on the corners for Scott Jones. He hit a bloop back to
Brandon Siegenthaler that the pitcher was unable to firmly grasp, advancing Gargano and scoring Gray, cutting the deficit to 3-2. With a runner threatening at third, Villanova made a call to the bullpen, bringing in
Danny Wilkinson with two outs and two on. A steal of second by Jones and Aaron Steinhart getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases for Ryan O'Halloran who struck out swinging, stranding all three Bulldogs.
Butler made it a new ballgame in the top of the seventh, taking its first lead of the day on a four-run frame.
A pair of RBI base knocks from Jones and Steinhart put Butler ahead 4-3 with one out on the board, bringing
Devin Rivera in for Wilkinson. The Bulldog runners shifted to third and second with a steal before O'Halloran grounded out to third. On the first pitch he saw, Kollyn All sent a deep double into the outfield, scoring Steinhart and Holt to extend the advantage to 6-3.
Jonathan Cole went to the mound for the 'Cats to open the eighth. He allowed one run on two hits in the frame, pushing the Bulldog lead to 7-3 on an RBI double to left by Jones.
Villanova turned to its fifth pitcher of the day at the top of the ninth with
Cole Vanderslice entering, allowing a pair of singles from the first two batters he faced before a groundout of All moved the runners into scoring position. Wurch launched a single to right score both runners, making it a 9-3 lead for the Bulldogs. Gargano provided the dagger with a two-run single to left before
Marcus LaBuda entered the close the frame. Villanova was sent down in order in the bottom of the ninth to end it.
Wilkinson went down for the loss to move to 2-3 on the year, allowing four runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in the 10 batters he faced in 1 2/3 innings of action.
Villanova closes the homestand on Tuesday as Bucknell comes to town. That nonconference game is slated for 3 p.m.
