PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – Villanova and St. John's combined for 25 hits on Sunday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth, but it was St. John's who had the edge as Villanova fell, 11-8.

After falling into an early 4-0 hole, Villanova (17-21-1, 7-8) answered a big opening half inning for St. John's (17-26-1, 3-8-1) by scoring seven runs in a span on three innings. The Red Storm battled back to take a one run lead in the seventh that the Wildcats would tie in the bottom half of the inning before a three-run blast from David Williams in the top of the eighth all but sealed the deal.

Villanova outfielders watched three home runs sail over the outfield wall in the loss, the most allowed in a home game this season. This was the first game since a March 11 contest against NJIT in which an opponent launched a homer.

AJ Hansen had a career-high three-RBI game, driving in two runs on a homer to left and bringing in a run on a double to right center in the seventh, the last run scored by the 'Cats on the day. Jack O'Reilly was 3-for-5, scoring twice and bringing in a run.

With a man on third, Kevin Michaels sent a single to center through the gap at second to score lead-off man Jackson Tucker. Nick Cirelli slammed a two-run homer over the right field wall in the next at bat, pushing the Red Storm lead out to 3-0. St. John's worked a pair of walks to get men on first and second. Colin Wetterau singled to center bringing in another run and forcing Villanova to turn to the bullpen to bring in Jonathan Cole to relieve Chic DeGaetano. He got out of the jam despite a hit, closing the door with a strikeout to end the inning down 4-0.  Cole would end up going 3 1/3 innings without allowing a run while striking out two.

Villanova gained ground in the bottom of the frame, cutting the deficit to two.

Chris Rotondo was plunked to open the half inning and later advanced to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. Joey Castellanos sent a shot to short but the throw went away from St. John's first baseman Williams, sending Castellanos to second and Rotondo home, cutting the Red Storm lead to three. With two outs on the board, Jack O'Reilly pushed a base knock through the left side to bring in Castellanos and make it a 4-2 game.

With two out and two on in the bottom of the second, St. John's pitcher Dylan Johnson sent a wild pitch toward the plate, scoring Connor Hale from second and sending Rotondo to third, but a throwing error by the catcher gave Rotondo enough room to score from third, tying the game 4-4.

Villanova broke the game open in the third with its first lead of the day.

O'Reilly connected on his second hit in as many at bats with a one-out single through the left side, bringing AJ Hansen to the dish. He jammed a launch over the left field wall, giving the 'Cats a 6-4 advantage. Cameron Hassert looped a two-out double to left before St. John's went to its bullpen, bringing in Ben Adams to face Hale. He singled to right to send Hassert home, putting the lead up to 7-4.
The Red Storm got a run back in the top of the sixth with one-out, one-on RBI single from Tucker but it took control again in the seventh with a three-run inning.

Devin Rivera went to the mound to open the seventh, with the second batter he faced reaching on a hit by pitch. Paul Orbon delivered a one-out double to get St. John's within two. With two outs, Chris Conniff sent a long shot flying over the right field wall, putting the Red Storm ahead, 8-7.

Villanova found some two-out magic in the home half of the seventh thanks to Hansen. With O'Reilly on second, Hansen lifted a double to right center, sending O'Reilly home to knot the game, 8-8.  The Red Storm turned to Chuck Sanzio (1-1) after that on the mound who ended more potential scoring with a strikeout. He went on to strikeout three more Wildcats in his 2 1/3 innings of action, allowing no runs on two hits.

Danny Wilkinson (3-4) got the nod to head to the hill for the eighth. He started the frame sending the first two batters down on strikeouts. Michaels doubled to left with Cirelli working a walk to put two on for Williams. With his first hit of the day, he homered to left to score three runs, surging the Red Storm back ahead for the final lead it would need.

Villanova continues the short homestand on Wednesday, hosting St. Joseph's at 3 p.m.