MERION STATION, Pa. – A Philadelphia Big 5 rivalry makes its way to the softball diamond on Wednesday afternoon as the Villanova Wildcats (12-13) head to the SJU Softball Field for a 3:00 p.m. contest against the Saint Joseph's Hawks.

THE CONTESTS WITH CREIGHTON
The 'Cats come into the week riding a four-game win streak, defeating Monmouth 10-5 last Wednesday before a sweep of a BIG EAST series against Creighton. Villanova needed extra innings to topple the Bluejays on Friday and Saturday, using walkoffs from Maranda Runco and Ava Franz to capture the series before a nine-run inning powered VU to a sweep in Sunday's affair. Although the Wildcats combined for just 18 hits in the three games, it was patience (13 total walks) and clutch performances that carried VU to a 4-0 week. Runco received a BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll mention after totaling all three RBI in Friday's win and putting the exclamation point on Sunday's with a three-run homer to cap the bat-around second inning. Junior Kat Gallant picked up conference Pitcher of the Week following a pair of wins and a 1.08 ERA in 13 innings, tossing an eight-inning complete game on Friday before five scoreless relief stanzas in Saturday's ten-frame victory.

HEADING TO HAWK HILL    
A local opponent is on tap this Wednesday as the Wildcats head down Lancaster Avenue for a matchup with the Saint Joseph's Hawks. Villanova maintains a 43-24-1 lead over St. Joe's in the all-time series, capturing wins in the last nine matchups with the most recent loss coming in 2011. Members of this year's roster have gone 4-0 against the Hawks, two wins coming in 2022 before a victory in each of 2023 and 2024. In 2022, Kelsey White pitched in both games with a 7-5 win at the Buzz Classic featuring three scoreless innings of relief for White's first collegiate win and a 7-0 victory at VU being a three-hit combined shutout featuring two frames from White. The last game at SJU Softball Field, played in 2023, was a 3-1 Wildcat victory with Franz driving home a run on an RBI bloop single in the first inning that proved to be the difference. Most recently, Villanova captured a 16-7 victory in 2024, paced by then-freshman Grace Reed's three hits and five RBI with a grand slam and double while Franz added four RBI and a two-run home and White threw three scoreless with just two runners allowed as the starter in the circle.

THE SCOOP ON SJU

• Saint Joseph's enters the week with an 11-12 record, going 8-12 in non-conference play before sweeping the opening A-10 series with three walkoff wins against UMass. The Hawks picked up four wins at the Heart of Georgia Classic, took down Radford twice at the Liberty Softball Classic, and won one game at each of the Mizuno Showdown and Purple Classic.
• SJU is led at the plate by two-time A-10 Second Team All-Conference Sarah Cancila's .328 average, 21 hits, 16 runs and 29 total bases. Senior Hailey Malito maintains a .315 average with a team-best 20 walks, Sierra Fretz boasts a team-high four home runs and infielder Kayla Tauber also returns as an A-10 All-Conference Second teamer.
• The Hawks use four pitchers who've all tossed more than 30 innings in 2025. Freshman Marla Freiwald owns a 3.35 ERA in a team-high 17 appearances (just two starts), junior Taylor Trowbridge adds 29 strikeouts on 45.2 innings, sophomore Jenna Wagner has a team-best nine starts and Jules Scogna contributes the fewest earned runs allowed on the staff.

There will be no livestream for the matchup, but statistics will be available on SJU's Sidearm site.