BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Villanova softball extended its win streak to four on Wednesday afternoon, run-ruling the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 12-1 in six innings.
Chloe Smith registered three hits for Villanova (26-18), including a two-run home run and a pair of singles while crossing the plate three times on the afternoon.
Ava Franz and Kelsey White each reached base four times on the day, with White totaling two hits and a team-high three RBI while Franz tallied a game-high three walks and a single. Ally Jones also went yard for the 'Cats and Tess Cites contributed two hits and two runs scored, while Victoria Sebastian and Sydney Hayes each crossed the plate twice.
In addition to her exploits at the plate, White earned the victory in the circle after striking out four and allowing just three hits and an unearned run in her five innings of work.
The Wildcats plated runs in all but one frame on the day, putting up a five-spot in the sixth to induce the eight-run rule and pick up a midweek W.
The Wildcats began the game with a pair of ground ball singles that found their way into the outfield, putting two on with nobody out. Sebastian stayed hot for VU, lifting a pitch to the wall for a double that brought home Cites for the opening tally of the game.
With runners on second and third, Ryan Henry grounded a pitch to the shortstop that scored Smith and got the 'Cats a two-run edge. Franz worked a 10-pitch walk before White delivered at the dish for Villanova, singling through the left side to give her squad a 3-0 advantage after a half inning.
Lehigh took one of those runs back in their first hacks, using a bunt single plus a throwing error to place the leadoff runner on second. A groundout advanced her to third, then a one-out single brought the LU deficit to two.
From there, it was all 'Cats as Jones got that one back for Villanova, blasting the opening pitch of the third frame out of the park to allow the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.
Smith extended the Wildcat advantage in the fourth, following up a Cites single with a two-run bomb to nearly the same spot as Jones for a five-run edge.
VU loaded the bases to open the fifth frame as an error, single and walk put ducks on the pond. Brooklyn Ostrowski worked an 11-pitch at bat before lifting a ball into left field for a sacrifice fly, scoring pinch runner Hayes as the throw never got to the plate after bouncing off of Hayes.
It was once again a bases-loaded situation to begin the sixth, nearly an identical scenario to the prior inning as a single, error and walk got three aboard. Hayes came to the plate and lined the first pitch into left, scoring Smith for the third time as well as pinch runner Kendall Spivey.
Franz's third walk of the afternoon loaded the bags again for White, who lined a pitch into left center for a two-RBI double to grant her squad an 11-1 lead. White then came in to score after a Dani Dabroski fielder's choice where Franz was tagged out at the plate, but Dabroski drew the throw to second and allowed White to come home unbothered.
Caroline Pellicano came on in the final frame for VU, working through a two-out infield single to deliver the Wednesday victory for the Wildcats.
UP NEXT: The 'Cats will host the preseason conference favorite DePaul Blue Demons this weekend, with the opening game of the series scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday at the Villanova Softball Complex.
