PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Kelsey White was the hero for Villanova softball in the Wildcats' opening game of the 2024 BIG EAST Softball Championship, walking it off with an eighth-inning two-bagger to take down the St. John's Red Storm 5-4 in extra innings.
The conference leader in walks heading into the matchup, Villanova's patience at the plate paid dividends for the Wildcats (29-22) as VU scored five runs on just four hits thanks to eight free passes in the contest, including three from Elaina Wagner and a pair from White.
Wagner scored twice and added a double while Lilly St. Jean drove in two on the day with a two-bagger of her own.
Alyssa Seidler struck out five in her three innings as VU's starting hurler before White threw 2.2 frames of scoreless ball in relief and Caroline Pellicano received her seventh win of the year with a flawless two-plus stanzas.
The first frame made it appear a game of Villanova domination as Seidler shoved in the first three batters, striking out the side on just 10 pitches.
Wagner worked a long walk in the first to become the game's first baserunner, then Ally Jones scorched a single down the right field line to earn runners on the corners. St. Jean grounded one back to the pitcher and Wagner waited for the throw to first, then dashed home and beat the throw for a 1-0 score.
St. John's got a pair of runners aboard during the next frame, using a leadoff double and one-out hit by pitch to threaten before a two-bagger cleared the bases to get the Johnnies ahead. A pair of ensuing singles kept the line moving and got the Red Storm ahead 4-1.
STJ loaded up the bags in the third with a single and some bases on balls, but Seidler escaped with an important strikeout to keep the deficit at three.
Three Wildcats received free passes to juice the bags with two down in the fifth, then a wild pitch brought Tess Cites across the dish and a double steal plated Wagner. With Jones on third base, St. Jean drove a double back through the middle for VU's second hit to tie the matchup at four-all.
Neither squad got anybody on base in the sixth and Pellicano sent down the Johnnies 1-2-3 in the seventh before the 'Cats wasted a two-out Wagner two-bagger to force extras.
Pellicano retired the fifth seed in order in the eighth, then a critical St. Jean walk got a leadoff runner before she was replaced by Ava Franz on a fielder's choice.
That's when White's clutch gene showed up once again, roping a 1-2 pitch into the left field corner to score Franz from first and pick up Villanova's first extra inning win this season.
UP NEXT: The 'Cats advance to a Friday matchup at 12:00 p.m. against the victor of Thursday afternoon's Connecticut-Creighton contest.
