DURHAM, N.C. – The Villanova Wildcats scored six runs but could not pick up their first win of the weekend, suffering a 7-6 loss in eight innings to the Elon Phoenix at the Duke Invitational.
Chloe Smith recorded her season-high on three hits in the ballgame with an RBI and run scored, while Ally Jones (two hits, one walk) and Ava Franz (two doubles, two RBI, one run) each registered multiple base knocks for Villanova (3-8).
Tess Cites scored a pair of runs and drew four bases on balls in the game, becoming the first Wildcat with a quartet of walks in a single contest this season.
Kat Gallant tossed five innings, striking out four in the start with two earned runs despite four scoreless stanzas. Caroline Pellicano received the loss after throwing the final three frames, facing 17 batters with just two earned runs surrendered.
The 'Cats got on the board first during their opening hacks with walks for four hitters in the inning allowing Cites to cross the plate for a 1-0 advantage.
Elon answered not even an out later, leading off the second stanza with a single, two-run home run and then a double before Gallant got back in the groove with a trio of batted-ball outs.
Villanova ran itself out of a run in the third as after Smith broke the hitless streak with a single, a pinch-running Alexa Raphael stole second then tried to swipe third on a ball in the dirt and got tossed out. An ensuing Jones double would have leveled the game, but the score remained 2-1 following a pair of frames.
Elaina Wagner pinch hit in the fourth and delivered a single into left field and with the lineup turned over to the top of the order, the Wildcats knotted up the matchup. Cites drew her third walk of the morning, then Franz came through with a lined shot into left field that got under a glove for an RBI two-bagger and a 2-2 tie game.
It took until the seventh for either team to add to the tally, and it was with two outs that the Phoenix did strike. A pair of infield singles and an error loaded the bases, then the cleanup hitter fouled a couple off before lacing a pitch into center for a two-run base knock to secure a 4-2 advantage.
In the team's final hacks of regulation, Kelsey White belted a ball foul that the outfielder robbed at the fence to retire one, then Smith roped one through the left side to get a runner aboard. Brooklyn Ostrowski drew a base on balls before Jones singled past the shortstop to load the bags.
With two down, freshman Grace Reed got hit by her second pitch of the ballgame to score Smith, then Madison Ostrowski worked a walk on a 3-2 count to bring her sister across the dish, tie the game and force an extra stanza.
Elon plated three runs on a trio of hits in that eighth inning, using the international-style runner on second to their advantage for a 7-4 lead.
But Villanova was not to be outdone, as Franz roped a ball into right center that caromed off the center fielder's glove for an RBI double to score Cites who'd been placed on second. Smith followed that up with a run-scoring single to bring the deficit down to one.
Despite a runner on base, Elon's hurler was able to get a strikeout and groundout to grant the Phoenix a 7-6 victory in extras.
UP NEXT: There's one more matchup on tap for the Wildcats on Saturday, squaring off against a Power Five opponent in the Michigan State Spartans at 2:30 p.m. in Durham.
