PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Villanova softball stayed hot with a fourth straight victory on Friday, run-ruling the Providence Friars 8-0 in the opening game of the weekend series at Glay Field.

Brooklyn Ostrowski recorded her first ever three-hit game for Villanova (12-11, 4-0 BIG EAST), blasting a two-run home run with a pair of singles on the day. Victoria Sebastian and Ava Franz each added a pair of knocks for the Wildcats while Lilly St. Jean (two-run homer) and Elizabeth Gray (two-run single) each drove in a couple.

The Wildcat lineup came to play in Rhode Island, totaling 12 hits, two home runs and four doubles (Franz, Tess Cites, Chloe Smith and Elaina Wagner) on the afternoon, with Ally Jones working three walks out of the third spot in the order.

Alyssa Seidler struck out four in a winning three-frame performance, allowing just two hits with a scoreless day in the circle. Maranda Runco threw a pair of no-run innings for the 'Cats, closing the door on the run-rule victory.

The 'Cats threatened in the opening frame, a pair of walks putting two aboard with just one down. Ostrowski wristed a base hit into right field for the game's first base knock, but a VU runner got tossed out at the plate to make two out. A hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, though the inning still ended scoreless.

Seidler stranded a leadoff runner in PC's first hacks then Sebastian laced a single into left center and moved up on a sacrifice bunt, but neither side could get on the board through two.

Jones reached base for the second time with a walk to open up the third, then the cleanup hitter Ostrowski took one deep with a blast over the wall in left-center to vault her side to a 2-0 edge.

Villanova kept up the pressure as Wagner belted a double off the wall, St. Jean got hit by a pitch and Sebastian ripped a single off the pitcher to juice the bags for the second time. 

Gray then drove in a pair after a pitching change, roping a ball into center for a two-RBI single before an error advanced both runners into scoring position for the top of the order.

A run-scoring groundout moved the VU lead up to five, then Smith put one off the wall in right field for an RBI two-bagger to cap off a five-hit, six-run, bat-around frame for the Wildcats.

Franz smashed a single through the middle to open the fourth stanza before St. Jean squared one up, sending a pitch out of the yard in a hurry for an 8-0 visitor advantage.

Ostrowski made it a three-hit day with a single in the fifth and Franz followed with a double off the wall, but the VU edge remained at eight.

Runco ran into a bit of trouble in the home half of that inning as she looked to close out the run-rule, with the Friars stacking a pair of singles and a walk with just one down. But the freshman hurler remained composed, inducing a couple popouts for a five-frame 8-0 victory.