PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – After leading by four runs through five innings of a seven-inning contest, Villanova saw Creighton come back to force extra innings, ultimately falling 7-5 thanks to a two-run 10^th on Senior Day Saturday at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth, closing out the season.

Villanova (19-29-1, 8-12) was slated to play two on Saturday to wrap up the series with Creighton (30-16, 15-5), with the second game of the doubleheader set to become a seven-inning since the first went to extras. The teams decided to call the second on account of a travel curfew that had been predetermined for the Bluejays.

Seven on Villanova's 10 senior honorees recorded playing time in the defeat. Will Reiner posted a three-RBI day with a walk and a double. Chris Rotondo extended his hitting streak to 10 games on a 3-for-5 day, all three hits being doubles, with a run and a walk.

Cole Patten got out of a jam with two Bluejay runners on, striking out the side to send the Villanova bats up in the second.

Neither team could connect on a hit until the third inning when Connor Hale lined a shot down the right field line followed by a double down the left field line by Rotondo. They threatened in scoring position but were left standing on a fly out.

Creighton broke the scoreless affair in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded. Nolan Sailors sent a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jared Wegner to make it a 1-0 game. With Bluejays on second and third, Patten got out of another jam, grabbing his fifth strikeout of the day to end the frame, sending the 'Cats up for a go-ahead frame of their own.
Reiner came up with two on and one out in the fourth. He laced a double down the left field line, bringing Jack O'Reilly and John Whooley across to push Villanova ahead 2-1.

Villanova applied more power in the fifth another multi-run inning.

Rotondo reached on his second double of the day before Castellanos made his way to first after being plunked by a pitch from Cade Lommel, send the Bluejays to their bullpen to bring in Daniel Hammond. O'Reilly delivered a base knock to center, sending Rotondo racing home from second for an RBI, making it 3-1 in favor of the 'Cats with one out. The runners advanced on a passed ball and Whooley took the open base on a walk, forcing Creighton back into the bullpen for Tommy Lamb. He struck out the first batter he faced, putting two outs on the board for Reiner. The senior picked up his third RBI of the game with a five-pitch walk, scoring Castellanos to keep the bases juiced with a 4-1 lead. Another walk, this time to Pat O'Neill, brought another run in, extending the lead to 5-1. The inning ended with Cameron Hassert grounding out in a frame that saw nine Wildcats come up to the dish.

Creighton pushed two across in the sixth on a pair of two-out singles, cutting into the lead to make it 5-3. With two on, Danny Wilkinson came in for Patten. Another base knock loaded the bases for Kyle Hess, blooping a single to right to bring the tying runs across for a 5-5 contest.

In the top of the seventh, the bases came up loaded for Hogan Helligso. Facing a 2-2 count with two out, he fouled out to AJ Hansen in right to send Villanova back up to bat, looking to end the game in walk-off fashion.

Whooley got on with a lead-off walk before being pinch ran for by Theron Schilling. He ended up advancing to second on a groundout but was left standing as Steier struck out O'Neill, sending it to the eighth for extra innings with Cameron Mathes (0-1) coming in to pitch.

Creighton landed runners in scoring position, but Mathes got a big strikeout of Jared Wegner, putting two outs on the board against Chris Esposito. Mathes battled back for a 3-2 count, sending Esposito down swinging for back-to-back strikeouts.

Hale was walked to start the bottom of the eighth. Rotondo laced a double to left, putting two 'Cats in scoring position. Castellanos was intentionally walked, loading the bases for O'Reilly. He reached on a fielder's choice to third with Hess tagging Rotondo out at the plate, leaving the bases loaded with two outs for pinch hitter August Biggio. He was struck out looking by Steier, getting Creighton out of the inning.

With one out in the top of the 10th with runners on first and second, Alan Roden launched a double to right, scoring a run to break the tie and give Creighton its first lead since the fourth inning. Right after, Jared Wegner sent a sacrifice fly to left, bringing another across for a 7-5 lead. Jonathan Cole came in and got out of the frame with a ground out, sending the 'Cats back up to bat, but they were sat down in order to end it.

Creighton had six batters drive in runs, led by a 2-RBI effort from Hess who two hits and a run.