Box Score VILLANOVA, Pa. – After traveling thousands of miles from coast to coast on a 15-game road trip, Villanova (2-14) showed no sign of fatigue in their home opener. A thrilling battle between the 'Cats and Rider (11-6) went into extra innings at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth where Villanova claimed a big 7-6 win over the Broncs.  A huge inside the park homerun clobbered by Cameron Hassert in the bottom eighth and a beautiful double to left field by John Whooley sealed the victory.
 
Senior first baseman Jack O'Reilly sent one over the right field wall in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game up 3-3.
 
Junior second baseman Cameron Hassert drove in a momentum shifting run in the bottom of the eighth giving new life to the 'Cats. On this play Hassert hit a deep ball to right field and it appeared the right fielder couldn't get the ball out of the fence, but no stoppage of play was called, and Hassert rounded the corners like a madman on fire to score a much needed run. Hassert could not be stopped clipping a single to left field sending two Wildcats home to tie the score 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
 
Senior catcher John Whooley, stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the tenth inning with two men on and smashed a double to left field to bring in O'Reilly for the winning run.
 
Starting pitcher Chic DeGaetano had a stellar game tossing for 5.1 innings fanning six and only allowing in three runs. Graduate pitcher Zach Camp earned the win on the day after coming in for the last 0.2 innings.
 
The Wildcats began the game with run in the bottom of the first after AJ Hansen doubled to left field and Hassert sent him home with a single down the right field line. The Broncs answered back in the top of the second with a homer hit by Brendan O'Donnell to left field. Neither team scored from the third to the fifth inning with great defense on both sides.
 
The Broncs took the 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth scoring one off hit by Socrates Bardatsos who sent John Volpe on third home. Bardatsos advanced to second on a throwing error by the second baseman and stole third while Brian Skettini was at bat. Skettini hit a single to right field driving Bardatsos home for the unearned second run.
 
Villanova replied with two runs of their own after Hassert singled to second base and O'Reilly smashed a bomb to right field to tie things up 3-3. A scoreless seventh inning followed.
 
Rider once again stole the lead in the top of the eighth after a fielders choice RBI ensued and a single up the middle drove two more runs in for the Broncs resulting in a 6-3 score.
 
The Wildcats were not done yet and trimmed the Broncs lead with the Hassert inside the park homerun making it a 6-4 game by the end of the eighth.
 
Cade Udell held the Rider offense off in the top of the ninth and with new energy the 'Cats went to bat. Steve Grober got on after singling up the middle and Paul Cooke was on his tail after getting hit by a pitch. Hansen was also hit by a pitch to load the bases up. Hassert entered the box and ripped a single to left field to sent Cooke and Grober in for the game tying runs (6-6).
 
Villanova took the field to begin extra innings. A curtesy runner is placed on second for the Broncs and was picked off after taking too big a lead. Zach Camp who took the hill to start the tenth threw to Grober at third who threw out the runner at second. Two ground outs and Villanova had a chance to take the game.
 
O'Reilly went to second as the curtesy runner and the Broncs intentionally walked Craig Larsen. It was Whooley who hit the RBI double to send O'Reilly home for the winning run ending the game in the bottom of the tenth, 7-6 Wildcats.
 
Head coach Kevin Mulvey reflected on the win.
 
"Great team win today. Coming off the trip, getting back from that and then losing at Penn, we had a team meeting. You know, being home changed a little bit of everything for us, the scenery, being comfortable in our own domain here. Not letting things bother us, not letting things get to us, coming back, winning and in walk off fashion. It was great," said Mulvey. "It was exactly what we needed and how we needed to do it. Whatever it took. I'm very happy. I'm very pleased. I'm proud of the guys, the way that they fought through the entire game, the ups and downs. Overall just really excited."
 
UP NEXT: The 'Cats return to action for a doubleheader to conclude the series versus Rider at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. Game one first pitch is set for 12 pm.
 
 
Player Quotes:
"We came into this game on a little losing streak and we knew that we all had to come together, all push in the same direction. We did just that and today it showed, it was the loudest I've heard from the dugout. We were one team, the most I've ever seen this year. It was good to see all the guys push the same direction and there's going to be more wins coming our way if we keep doing what we did today." #2 Cameron Hassert (second baseman)

"I felt great out there on the mound. All my stuff was working, and it felt even better to be home field. I knew all the guys were making plays behind me, so all in all, it felt really good today." #32 Chic DeGaetano (pitcher)