SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Villanova softball evened up the series in Essex County on Saturday afternoon, using an eight-run fourth inning to take down the Seton Hall Pirates 9-4 at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field.
It was the Ava show for Villanova (16-15, 8-3 BIG EAST), getting three hits from each of Ava Franz and Ava Mahnken to pace the Wildcats. Franz contributed VU's first three-double game since April of 2017, scoring once and driving home another.
Mahnken totaled her first career three-hit ballgame, scoring once and driving one in with a pair of singles and a two-bagger. Maranda Runco drove home a quartet of runs with a game-winning fourth-inning grand slam while Madison Ostrowski reached twice on the day with a walk and an RBI single.
Lexi Kobryn picked up the victory with six-plus frames of scoreless pitching, striking out three and working through seven hits on the afternoon. Kelsey White went two-thirds of a frame in the start, on the hook for the four runs Seton Hall scored.
The Wildcats were retired 1-2-3 in the opening frame and the Pirates made them pay, scoring four runs in their half on a quartet of walks, a hit by pitch, two sacrifices and just a pair of hits for a 4-0 edge.
Madi Ostrowski became Villanova's first baserunner in the top of the third on a two-out walk, but a popout ended the chance without getting her beyond first.
After a strikeout to start the visiting half of the fourth, the next seven Wildcats reached safely with four scoring to turn it into a tie game. Franz started with a double to get VU into the hit column for the first time, then Maddie Burrows was hit by a pitch to put two aboard.
It was a hit parade after that, singles coming from Mahnken, Kobryn and both Madison and Brooklyn Ostrowski to even it up at four apiece and keep the bases juiced with two down. Villanova's top slugger Runco came to the dish and delivered in a full count, blasting a grand slam for an eight-run frame and four-run edge.
After a quiet fifth inning on both sides, Runco worked a four-pitch, two-out walk in the sixth and Franz turned around the very next pitch for an RBI double and 9-4 ballgame.
Kobryn surrendered a pair of baserunners to lead off both the sixth and seventh, but the freshman worked her way out of both situations to deliver her team a W and an even series.
UP NEXT: The series finale and grudge match is on deck tomorrow at Mike Sheppard Sr. Field, scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch on Sunday afternoon in South Orange.
