DURHAM, N.C. – Villanova softball brought some offense on Saturday, belting two homers and scoring five runs but ultimately not being able to take down No. 6/8 Duke in an 11-5 loss during the finale of VU's stay at the Duke Invitational.
Tess Cites and Ava Franz both went yard in the game for Villanova (4-9), part of a two-hit effort for Franz and a two-run performance for Cites. Ally Jones contributed a pair of hits with an RBI double in the opening frame, with Alexa Raphael scoring a run in a pinch-running stint in relief of Jones.
Kelsey White received the loss after surrendering four earned runs in four innings, while Kat Gallant tossed one-plus stanzas in the circle for VU.
The 'Cats put some early pressure on the Blue Devils as Cites worked a leadoff walk before Franz singled down the right field line to get a pair on the bags.
Jones then perfectly placed a ball in the right field corner, just out of the fielder's reach for an RBI double to plate Cites for a 1-0 edge. With the opening tally, Villanova scored the game's first run in four of the five contests in Durham, the lone exception being the first bout with Duke.
The hosts responded instantly, using a swinging bunt to get a runner aboard before a two-run bomb brought the score to 2-1. An ensuing single and stolen base followed by a two-base error got the Blue Devils ahead by a pair, then a single back through the middle made the scoreboard read 4-1.
White received a five-pitch walk in her first appearance at the dish during the second inning, turning the lineup over to the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year. Cites worked a long count, fouling off seven straight pitches before blasting one well beyond the fence for her third dinger of the season to pull her squad within one.
Duke widened the gap again in the fourth, using an infield error, single, RBI double and a groundout to plate a pair and create a 6-3 game.
Franz answered with a rocket for the Wildcats, belting one out of the deepest part of the yard for her first of the year to bring a 6-4 score. Jones then singled through the right side before Chloe Smith reached on a fielder's choice and an error turned it into a pair of runners in scoring position.
Elizabeth Gray came up big in a pinch hitting appearance for Villanova, notching her first career hit with a single to the pitcher to get a runner across the dish and pull the 'Cats back within a run.
The Blue Devils strung together an impressive start to the home half of the fifth with three hits and three runs before an out was recorded. Gallant was able to limit the damage to just those three with a trio of batted-ball outs, but Duke's lead became its largest of the game at 9-5.
That edge increased with back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth, putting the hosts ahead by six. Due to a hard cutoff time at 3:30 p.m. because of Villanova's travel, the game came to a conclusion in the bottom of the sixth with Duke ahead 11-5.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats have one final non-conference tournament in store this season, heading to Tampa next week for the USF Tournament with six games scheduled at the USF Softball Stadium from Mar. 1-4.
