Jason Neff
7
Winner Villanova VU 6-4
6
Lipscomb University LIP 3-8
Winner
Villanova VU
6-4
7
Final
6
Lipscomb University LIP
3-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Villanova VU 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 7 10 1
Lipscomb University LIP 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 6 11 0

W: Sachais, Alec (2-0) L: K. Kantola (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Neff’s Grand Slam Fuels Comeback Win over Lipscomb

Freshman Brayden Leonard drove in the game-winning run in the ninth inning after the Wildcats trailed by as many as three.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jason Neff's go-ahead grand slam in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Villanova University baseball team to a come-from-behind win over Lipscomb on Sunday afternoon (March 2). The 7-6 victory at Ken Dugan Field clinched the series for the Wildcats, who won two of three games against the Bisons.
 
Neff's home run is his second in as many days and fifth of the season. He now has 17 RBI on the season, placing him in the top 10 nationally. Meanwhile, left fielder Austin Lemon paced the Wildcats (6-4) with a career-best three hits. Right-hander Alec Sachais threw 1.2 innings in relief, allowing only one hit in the process.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, a pair of RBI singles by Connor Hale and Lemon in the top of the second inning gave Villanova a 2-0 lead.
 
Starter Jake Francis held Lipscomb (3-8) in check through the first two innings, but the Bisons broke things open in the bottom of the third. Ryan Austin launched a leadoff home run before an RBI double and single put Lipscomb ahead, 3-2.
 
Stephen Turzai replaced Francis to start the fourth inning. He gave up one run in both the fourth and fifth, which increased the Bisons' lead to 5-2.
 
Both teams were unable to score in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Lemon walked, Tyler Shaw singled into left field and Michael Whooley was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Neff. Neff promptly launched a 1-0 pitch 404 feet over the center field wall, scoring four runs and giving the Wildcats a 6-5 lead. The grand slam was Villanova's first of the season.
 
The Bisons scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at six runs apiece. Sachais stranded a man on third base with an inning-ending strikeout to maintain the tie.
 
With two outs in the top of the ninth, a group of three freshmen propelled Villanova to score the game-winning run. First, designated hitter John Freitag walked to give the 'Cats spark. JoJo Montgomery replaced Freitag on first and immediately stole second base. Then, second baseman Brayden Leonard poked a base hit into right field that scored Montgomery, giving Villanova a 7-6 lead.
 
Sachais shut down the Bisons in the bottom of the ninth, sealing the win for the Wildcats and improving his record to 2-0 on the season. Kaleb Kantola (0-2) registered the loss for Lipscomb.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
  • Neff now leads the Wildcats in runs (13), home runs (14), RBI (17), total bases (32) and multi-hit games (4). He's tied for most on the team in hits (13) and stolen bases (3).
  • Lemon has extended his on-base streak to 10 games.
  • Francis has pitched 15.1 innings this season without giving up a walk.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will take their talents to South Beach for a midweek game at Miami (FL) on Wednesday (March 5) at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
 
 
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