ATLANTA, Ga. – Villanova softball used a late rally to make it a one-run game, but came out on the losing side in a 3-2 bout with Georgia Tech in the season opener.

Freshman infielder Grace Reed provided some pop off the bench for the 'Cats, blasting a solo shot out of the yard on her first swing as a collegian. Ava Franz racked up two hits on the day, driving in Lilly St. Jean for the other VU run. 

The Wildcats managed four other hits and six walks on the afternoon, putting a runner on base in six straight innings from the second onwards.

Kat Gallant picked up the loss for Villanova (0-1), going four innings in the circle with a strikeout and three earned runs while Alyssa Seidler tossed two scoreless frames for the 'Cats.

The Wildcats threatened early in the ballgame as VU loaded the bases in just the second frame on a pair of singles from Franz and Brooklyn Ostrowski plus an Elaina Wagner walk. But the 'Cats couldn't break the scoreless tie, as Georgia Tech got the force at third to escape unharmed.

The Yellow Jackets got on the board first in the home half of that period after two bases on balls, then a double for GT's first hit brought the game's opening run across the plate. Tech added a tally in the third on a pair of two-out two-baggers, advancing its lead to 2-0 after three innings.

Georgia Tech used another tally to extend the advantage in the fourth as another walk came back to bite the 'Cats with a third-straight inning of two-out RBIs bringing the score to 3-0.

Seidler entered in the circle for Villanova for the home half of the fifth, stranding a pair of leadoff base runners with three straight outs. 

Franz was responsible for keeping GT off the board in the sixth by tracking down a tough grounder up the middle, pump faking to first and gunning down the runner at the plate to maintain a three-run deficit.

Following Reed's bomb to start out the seventh, St. Jean kept it going with a laser up the middle and Emily Orr drew a walk to bring the winning run to the plate. 

After going down 0-2 in the count and fighting off five straight pitches, Franz drove a pitch into left center to score St. Jean but Orr got gunned down at the dish by a strong relay throw to bring the 'Cats to 0-1 on the young season.