INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Villanova Wildcats started their trip to Butler with a victory, taking down the Bulldogs 5-3 on Thursday thanks to a two-run seventh inning to break a late-game tie.
The veteran trio of Ryan Henry, Ally Jones and Chloe Smith each contributed two hits in the contest for Villanova (20-16, 6-4 BIG EAST), with Smith recording three RBI and Jones notching two doubles in the matchup.
Caroline Pellicano earned the victory for the Wildcats to pick up her second win of the year. Kelsey White started the game in the circle, hurling five innings while striking out three and allowing only two earned runs.
The Wildcats struck in their first hacks, as Tess Cites drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a groundout. With two outs in the frame, Henry roped a pitch into right center that rolled to the fence, giving her an RBI double to put VU up 1-0.
Butler tied the matchup in the second stanza, with the Bulldogs' first swing of the inning resulting in a solo homer to make the score 1-1.
Victoria Sebastian reached base to lead off the third after being hit by a pitch and Dani Dabroski singled to put two baserunners on. Both moved into scoring position on a double steal before Smith singled through the right side and Dabroski slid around the tag to deliver the 'Cats a 3-1 advantage.
White got on the basepaths via an error to begin the fourth and got moved up on a groundout. With two outs, Cites ripped a ball into left field and White was sent home, but a play at the plate ended the chance to extend the edge.
The Bulldogs brought the deficit to one on a strange sequence in that stanza, as a batter barely beat out a throw to first from White then a bunt single plus an error put runners on the corners.
The player on first took off for second on the next pitch and Jones faked the throw to second but actually rifled one to the pitcher. The return throw from White was in the dirt and Jones tried to tag the runner, but the umpire called obstruction and allowed the run to score.
Butler tied the game at 3-3 with two outs in the fifth, using a double and subsequent RBI single to even the tally.
Jones began the seventh with a double off the top of the fence in the left field corner, coming within inches of a go-ahead home run but settling for a two-bagger to lead off the stanza. Henry followed that with a bloop single over the outstretched glove of the shortstop, bringing up Smith with runners on the corners and nobody out.
For the second time in the contest, Smith delivered with a grounder through the right side that brought Jones home to give VU an advantage. Two batters later, it was Pellicano in her first plate appearance of the season, earning an RBI by putting the ball in play for a fielder's choice.
When she retook the circle for the Bulldogs' final hacks, Pellicano set them down 1-2-3, flashing the leather on the final out by snatching a liner right back at her.
UP NEXT: Villanova and Butler have two games remaining over the next few days, with a contest Friday at 3 p.m. and the series finale on Saturday at noon.
