FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Villanova softball started out its 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon, falling to No. 17 Arizona 14-3 in five innings during the first game of the Fayetteville Regional.
Ava Franz reached base twice with a single, walk and an RBI for Villanova (31-23) as Brooklyn Ostrowski totaled a walk and a sacrifice fly on the day. Ally Jones and Lilly St. Jean each notched hits in the game with Chloe Smith driving home the other run.
Alyssa Seidler tossed two outs as Villanova's starting pitcher while Kat Gallant went two-plus innings of relief in the circle, facing 14 batters. Caroline Pellicano provided mop-up duty, striking out one in her inning of work.
VU couldn't get anyone on the basepaths despite three hard-hit balls in the opening frame, then Arizona struck before any outs were recorded with a walk, bunt single and RBI base knock.
Another pair of bases on balls caused another run to cross the plate before a sacrifice fly and two hits plated three more. A subsequent two-run homer granted the home side an 8-0 advantage after one.
Franz became the first Villanova Wildcat to reach base with an infield single in the second inning but nothing more came about. The Arizona lead expanded with just one pitch in the response, hitting a solo homer to lead off the inning before Gallant induced a trio of popouts to keep the score to 9-0.
Ostrowski earned her way aboard in the third with a hit-by-pitch before she was replaced on first by a Victoria Sebastian fielder's choice, but a flyout and strikeout kept the deficit at nine.
The patient at bats for Villanova finally paid off in the fourth with St. Jean and Kelsey White walks, coupled with a Jones single up the middle to load the bases. A 10-pitch Franz base on balls allowed the 'Cats to get on the board before Smith grounded out for another tally and Ostrowski notched a sacrifice fly for a 9-3 ballgame.
The other Wildcats struck right back with juiced bags of their own before a trio of base hits brought the score to 14-3.
Elaina Wagner smoked one at third base that ricocheted off a glove for a baserunner before St. Jean rifled a single into center field for two aboard. But a tough luck double-play ended the inning and the game as a Villanova loss.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will take part in an elimination game on Saturday, squaring off at 5:30 p.m. ET against the loser of tonight's Arkansas-Southeast Missouri State game.
