QUEENS, N.Y. – The Villanova Wildcats took the opening game of their BIG EAST series in New York, taking down the St. John's Red Storm 8-3 behind an eight-strikeout performance from Kat Gallant.
Victoria Sebastian led the way at the plate for Villanova (23-18, 8-5 BIG EAST), totaling two hits, three RBI and a run in addition to a double. Tess Cites recorded two base knocks and two runs, Ally Jones added two hits and an RBI and Ryan Henry blasted a two-run bomb to tie her season total from 2022.
Gallant picked up the win for the Wildcats, reaching a career high in strikeouts as the VU starter. Caroline Pellicano secured her fourth save this season, recording four outs in the circle to end the contest.
St. John's got the scoring started in the game, with a one-out single allowing the first base runner before a stolen base put her into scoring position. A double to the fence in left field brought that run around and gave the Red Storm a 1-0 advantage.
Cites began the fourth frame with the Wildcats' first hit of the day, belting the opening pitch of the inning over the left fielder's head for a double. Chloe Smith followed that up with a single and stolen base to give VU two runners in scoring position.
Sebastian came up with one out and roped a 1-1 pitch to the left field fence, plating both runners with an opposite field, two-RBI double to give Villanova a one-run advantage.
Two batters later, Henry came to the dish and knocked a no-doubter over the wall in right center, notching her seventh homer of the year to put the 'Cats ahead 4-1.
Neither squad could get anyone aboard in the fifth stanza as Gallant reached her collegiate high in strikeouts with the final K of that inning.
Jones singled into shallow left to put a runner on base in the sixth, and freshman Kendall Spivey pinch ran for her. Spivey moved up to third on a wild pitch and passed ball during Sebastian's walk, then scored on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.
The Johnnies took a few runs back in the sixth, loading the bases on a trio of singles before a sac fly and a bloop single made the score 5-3. Pellicano came on with runners on second and third and shut the door on St. John's to keep her squad's lead at two.
After entering the game as a defensive substitution in the sixth, Maddie Burrows collected the first hit of her collegiate career with a single up the middle on a 3-0 count. After stealing second, Burrows was brought home by a Cites scorcher past the glove of the second baseman to secure a 6-3 edge.
Smith reached on an error after skying a ball down the right field line that was dropped by the outfielder, then it was Jones delivering as usual for the 'Cats with a line drive base knock up the middle to score Cites and advance runners to the corners.
Sebastian worked a 3-2 count before smacking one right back at the pitcher that made its way into center field to score Smith and grant the Wildcats a five-run lead.
Pellicano came back out to the circle for the seventh inning and got a pair of groundouts and a lineout, delivering a Villanova victory in the opening contest of the series.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats and Johnnies will square off again on Saturday and Sunday, with both matchups set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
