INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Villanova softball wrapped up its stay in Indiana on Friday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with the Butler Bulldogs at the Butler Softball Field.

It was a tale of two games for Villanova (23-20-1, 12-6 BIG EAST), who left 11 runners on base in a 4-1 game one loss before dominating the Bulldogs 8-0 in five innings to close the series.

GAME ONE
The Wildcats fell in the day's first matchup to grant the series to the Bulldogs after a 4-1 game one final.

Grace Reed had a pair of doubles and scored the team's lone run in the first outing while Elaina Wagner reached three times on a pair of hits and a walk. Madison Ostrowski accounted for her side's only RBI with a run-scoring single in addition to a base on balls and Ava Franz also had two hits in the contest.

Kelsey White received the loss after surrendering four runs and striking out three batters in a trio of innings while Lexi Kobryn went three scoreless frames in relief.

Just as in the series opener on Thursday, the Wildcat bats generated a scoring chance right away as Maranda Runco and Wagner both singled but a couple of tough-luck flyouts kept the 'Cats scoreless after the top of the first.

The Bulldogs instantly made Villanova pay for leaving the runners stranded as an infield single, sacrifice bunt, stolen base and suicide squeeze granted BU an advantage before a walk and double made it a 3-0 ballgame.

Butler scored again in the second, taking advantage of a leadoff double as an infield single and fielder's choice put the home side ahead 4-0.

The scoring halted there for the next three innings with the Wildcats unable to capitalize on a Reed double and Ostrowski walk in the second then a runner in each of the third, fourth and fifth while the VU pitchers worked around baserunners in each frame.

Villanova finally broke that scoreless streak in the sixth as Reed doubled with one out and Ostrowski scored her with a single through the left side, moving the deficit for the 'Cats down to three.

Despite two runners aboard still in the sixth and another pair on base in the seventh, Villanova was unable to cut into the lead anymore in a 4-1 loss.

GAME TWO
The Wildcats were finally able to change the fortunes in the series finale, run-ruling the Bulldogs 8-0 in five innings.

Maddie Burrows totaled her first career three-hit game, scoring a pair of runs and driving in another in the victory. Brooklyn Ostrowski added two hits and three RBI while younger sister Madison contributed two hits and a pair of runs batted in.

Kat Gallant picked up her 11th victory of the year with five shutout innings, striking out three with just a trio of baserunners allowed.

Neither team was able to get a runner aboard in the first, so Runco's single into right to open the second inning was the first blemish for either pitcher. Reed followed that with her third double of Friday's slate, putting a pair of runners into scoring position with nobody out.

Madi Ostrowski came through again for the Wildcats, singling up the middle to score both runners and get her side an early 2-0 advantage. Burrows followed with a bunt single, but a lineout double play ended Villanova's chances for more.

M. Ostrowski and Burrows each notched their second singles with one out in the fourth and both came in to score on a B. Ostrowski base knock shortly after. White reached on a bunt single that moved Brooklyn up to third, from which she scored when Ava Mahnken lifted a sacrifice fly into right. Franz drove White in on a single, and it was a four-run inning and 6-0 edge.

Runco led off the fifth with a single and was pinch ran for by Elizabeth Gray, who moved to second on a groundout and scored on a Burrows two-out double. B. Ostrowski advanced the lead with another RBI two-bagger, getting the 'Cats up 8-0 following the top of the fifth.

Gallant came back out to the circle for the fifth with the chance of ending the matchup early and retired her seventh, eighth and ninth hitters in a row to deliver an 8-0 VU victory.

UP NEXT: The Wildcats head home for a Tuesday contest under the lights against the Towson Tigers before heading to Queens for a three-game weekend series at the BIG EAST's first place team in the St. John's Red Storm.