VILLANOVA, Pa. – It was a rollercoaster of a game at the Villanova Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon with the end result being a 12-12 tie against the Penn Quakers, concluding after eight innings due to darkness.

It's the first tie for Villanova softball under head coach Bridget Orchard, with the most recent draw coming on April 25, 2018 under then-leader Maria DiBernardi.

The matchup featured ups and downs the whole way through with the Wildcats getting out to a 6-1 lead, Penn coming back to grab a 12-7 advantage and VU managing a five-run seventh to force extras before a scoreless eighth on both sides.

Kelsey White led with VU's lone three-hit game, doubling, scoring once and driving home a pair of runs for Villanova (16-16-1). Two-hit efforts came from Maranda Runco, Ava Franz (two runs scored), Elaina Wagner (three RBI), Jaclyn Morra and Lilly St. Jean.

Sophia Mount threw three innings in the start, facing 18 batters and surrendering four runs. Three different Wildcats saw time in relief: Maddy Burns (one scoreless inning), Runco (four runs against) and Lexi Kobryn (four innings, one strikeout). 

After Mount worked out of two RISP in the opening frame, Mahnken drew a leadoff walk to kick off the VU hacks. The freshman came in to score shortly after on a Franz triple to put the 'Cats on the board first.

Franz beat a throw home on a Wagner groundout, who then came around when St. Jean blasted a double into left field for an RBI two-bagger. White finished off the frame with a run-scoring single back through the middle, bringing the VU edge to 4-0.

The Quakers answered with a four-hit second to score one, but a flyout was tracked down at the warning track to minimize the damage to 4-1.

Madison Ostrowski drew a base on balls in the second for her first of three walks, and Mahnken smashed a double into right for a pair in scoring position before any outs were recorded. A wild pitch and Wagner single brought both home for a 6-1 edge.

Penn responded again, stringing together three hits and a sacrifice bunt for three runs and a 6-4 ballgame. The Quakers threatened to cut into the lead more in the following frame, but a lineout double play and flyout kept the edge at a pair through four.

The visitors kept up that pressure though, taking advantage of a leadoff single and two walks as a grand slam gave Pennsylvania a lead and a trio of singles moved the score to 9-6 in the fifth.

Morra doubled down the line to begin Villanova's fifth, St. Jean moved her up with a single and White drove a sacrifice fly into right center to get one back.

The Quakers used a four-hit sixth to make it into a 12-7 affair. The 'Cats loaded the bases in their chance, but a runner gunned down at the plate and a 3-0 groundout kept the deficit at five.

Down to its final chance, Villanova's lineup chipped away. White doubled and Madi Ostrowski walked before a Mahnken grounder and Runco single each scored one.

A Franz single loaded the bases and brought the winning run to the dish, at which point Wagner walked and Morra used an infield single to turn it into a one-run game. St. Jean's patience paid off in a five-pitch walk, and it was suddenly a tied affair.

Penn made a pitching change as the Wildcats cycled the lineup back to White, who skied one into center for seemingly a sacrifice fly but the Quaker outfielder nailed the runner at the plate to force extras.

Kobryn worked around a leadoff single to blank Penn in the eighth, and a one-out Ostrowski walk gave VU a runner but a strikeout ended the chance and game as the umpires called it due to darkness.