DURHAM, N.C. – Villanova softball fell in the team's second contest at the Duke Invitational, suffering an 8-0 run rule defeat against the No. 6 Blue Devils on Friday evening.

Ava Franz and Tess Cites recorded the game's first hits with early inning singles for Villanova (3-7), while Brooklyn Ostrowski and Grace Reed delivered back-to-back base knocks in the fourth.

Alyssa Seidler received the loss despite two-plus perfect innings, striking out five and allowing just six hits against a top-ten opponent.

Franz poked the game's first hit through the right side but the 'Cats couldn't crack the scoreboard, then Seidler sent down the Blue Devils in order by striking out the side in the opening stanza.

Duke scored first in the third, breaking up the perfect game, no hitter and shutout in the frame. The Blue Devils drew a one-out walk, swiped a bag and beat out an infield single to get the run across, leading 1-0 after three.

Ostrowski and Reed both singled with two down in the fourth, with Ostrowski beating out an infield hit and the freshman barreling a ball through the left side. But the 'Cats could not erase the deficit as a strikeout ended the chance.

Duke broke the game open in the home half of that stanza, stringing together a single, double and a walk before a triple cleared the bases to send the Blue Devils up 4-0. Then it was a suicide squeeze putting the hosts ahead by five before a three-run bomb got it to an eight-run ballgame.

Villanova put the ball in play three times during their fifth inning hacks, but none were able to reach base so the run rule took effect and the ballgame ended in the fifth with an 8-0 Blue Devil victory.

UP NEXT: Villanova takes on a pair of opponents on Saturday, facing the Elon Phoenix at 9:30 a.m. before a contest against Michigan State in the afternoon.