STORRS, Conn. – The Villanova Wildcats kept their season alive with a win on Friday afternoon, taking down the DePaul Blue Demons 4-1 in an elimination game at Burrill Family Field in the 2023 BIG EAST Championship Presented By JEEP.
Ava Franz and Sydney Hayes led the way for Villanova (36-21) with two hits, as both players recorded an RBI and Franz crossed the plate once for the 'Cats after a solo home run. Chloe Smith also went yard while Ryan Henry produced two runs for VU.
Kat Gallant went 4.1 innings as the starter for the Wildcats, while Caroline Pellicano earned the victory with four strikeouts in her 2.2 frames in the circle.
Every member of the VU lineup reached base in the game, but it was an inability to bring them around that nearly halted the 'Cats as Villanova left eight runners on base and went 3-for-14 with them in scoring position.
The Wildcats got their first two batters aboard with a pair of leadoff walks to start the game, but a double play and popout ended the chance to strike right away.
Henry gave the 'Cats a baserunner in the second by reaching on an error, then a walk by Lilly St. Jean and a perfectly placed bunt by Dani Dabroski loaded the bases.
Tess Cites came through for Villanova, grounding a pitch into the five-six hole that glanced off the shortstop's glove to score pinch runner Kendall Spivey and grant VU a 1-0 advantage after one and a half innings.
Ally Jones singled to begin the third, and on the very next pitch, it was a Franz double putting two runners in scoring position. Jones tried to score on a fielder's choice and was originally ruled safe at the dish, but a review called by DePaul reversed the call and made it the first out of the inning.
After a DPU pitching change, the first pitch from the new hurler was sent right to the shortstop for a 6-6-3 double play to end the frame and end VU's chance to add to the lead.
St. Jean singled to start the Wildcats' hacks in the fourth, giving Villanova its third leadoff baserunner in four innings and Hayes followed that up two batters later with a base knock into left field to turn the lineup over. The 'Cats were unable to add to the advantage though, as all three outs in the stanza came on lineouts to keep the edge to 1-0.
The fifth inning marked the first of the day when Villanova didn't put at least two hitters aboard, as the Wildcats went down 1-2-3 with a trio of batted-ball outs.
DePaul answered with a leadoff double in its next chance at the plate, then moved her up to third on a sacrifice bunt and brought her in with a one-out single. The 'Cats brought on Pellicano in relief, and she stranded two runners to keep the game at 1-1 after five.
Henry started the sixth inning in scoring position as she beat out a double that trickled past first base and down the right field line. After a pair of outs, Hayes came through for the Wildcats with a single up the middle and Henry slid around the tag to deliver a one-run lead for her side.
The Blue Demons loaded the bases with one out in their hacks that inning on a pair of singles and a walk. Pellicano picked up a backwards K with an offspeed pitch for the second, then ended the frame with a groundout to short to maintain her squad's edge.
Villanova's batters rewarded Pellicano in their next chance at the dish, as Smith led off the inning with a blast to left center for an important insurance run for the 'Cats. But that wasn't all, as Franz went yard just two batters later to nearly an identical location, putting VU up 4-1 heading into the bottom of the frame.
DPU threatened with its season on the brink, placing two runners on after a pair of leadoff singles. But Pellicano worked through it to earn the victory, inducing a flyout and popout before striking out the game's final batter to keep Villanova's year alive.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will play in another do-or-die game later this evening, taking on the #1 Connecticut Huskies for a spot on Championship Saturday.
