VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova softball took a split on Friday afternoon in the first day of competition against Butler, falling 7-3 in the opener before a 7-5 game two victory. 

The victory marked the most BIG EAST wins ever for Villanova (28-21, 19-4 BIG EAST), surpassing last season's 18 Ws in conference play.

GAME ONE

The day started out with a heavy-hitting affair as the teams combined for 24 hits in a 7-3 Butler victory.

A trio of Wildcats put forth two-hit days, including a pair of two-baggers from Ava Franz and a couple knocks plus a walk from both Chloe Smith and Kelsey White.

White received the loss despite striking out a quartet of hitters in her four innings while Caroline Pellicano went three innings of relief with three Ks.

Butler got the game's scoring started in the opening frame, using an infield single for a baserunner before the next batter knocked one over the wall in left for an early 2-0 edge.

Franz crushed a double off the wall in center during the second inning to give VU its first runner of the day, then Smith brought her in with a roped single into left for a one-run game.

The Bulldogs threatened in both the second and third with a runner just 60 feet away each time, but excellent defensive plays robbed the visitors of a greater edge. White snared a grounder back at her and turned a double play, then Elizabeth Gray went full extension for a snag in the next frame to keep it a one-run game.

Tess Cites led off the bottom of the third with a single through the middle before Elaina Wagner ripped one down the line for a two-bagger, then all it took was an Ally Jones fly ball to score Cites and knot up the game. Franz followed that with another sac fly to score Wagner and grant Villanova its first lead of the day.

That advantage wouldn't last long as Butler got two runners aboard in the fourth with a leadoff walk and one-out single before the nine-hole hitter singled into center to tie it up again. A hard-hit ball in the next AB glanced off White's glove to allow an infield single and another Bulldog edge, 4-3.

A leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and stolen base got a BU runner to third with just one out in the sixth before Olivia Moxley out of the ninth spot put forth another RBI for a two-run lead.

A couple doubles extended the Bulldog lead by two in the seventh and despite the 'Cats loading the bases in their response, Butler took a 7-3 victory in the first contest of the weekend.

GAME TWO

Contributions came up and down the Villanova lineup in the late afternoon bout, with 13 hits coming from the Wildcats in a 7-5 victory.

Two-hit games were notched by Franz, Lilly St. Jean, Wagner and White with Franz crossing the plate twice and White driving home a pair in the game.

Kat Gallant went four innings in the circle with a trio of strikeouts as Alyssa Seidler tossed three frames of shutout ball in the victory.

After a 1-2-3 first inning by Gallant, the Wildcat lineup got going instantly with a five-single frame to secure the opening lead. Wagner, St. Jean and Franz all singled to load up the bases and White stayed hot, lacing the first pitch of her AB to left for a pair of runs. Grace Reed followed that with a laser to score another, putting the 'Cats ahead 3-0 after one.

A scoreless second inning followed before Butler answered with a five-hit inning of their own, breaking up the no hitter with a leadoff knock to start off five singles in a row and an eventual 4-3 edge before any outs were recorded.

Franz kept up her strong Friday with a missile out of the yard to kick off the VU response, blasting one to the opposite field to tie the game at four-all.

The Bulldogs took that advantage back the very next frame with a one-out triple preceding another RBI infield single to go up 5-4.

Gray started out the bottom of the fourth with an infield single before St. Jean brought her home, smoking one into left field for a 5-5 game after four.

Brooklyn Ostrowski and Reed each worked walks in the fifth, which paid dividends as Jones and Smith each delivered in pinch-hit appearances with RBI base knocks to extend the edge to 7-5.

Neither team could strike in the sixth and down to their last outs, Butler loaded up the bases with just one down in the seventh on two singles and a walk. But Seidler battled back, inducing a flyout and a swinging strikeout in a decisive 3-2 count to preserve a 7-5 win.

UP NEXT: The regular season finale awaits with Saturday's game set for a 12:15 p.m. first pitch due to the senior day ceremony.