VILLANOVA, Pa. – The bats came alive in Villanova softball's first ever home game under the lights, scoring a season-high 16 runs in a run-rule defeat of the Towson Tigers.
The 'Cats totaled 13 hits on Tuesday at the Villanova Softball Complex, scoring runs in each of the first three innings with an 11-run, three-homer third frame powering VU to a 16-0 victory.
Grace Reed contributed her first ever two-homer game for Villanova (24-20-1), hitting a pair of dingers in the third inning for a five-RBI outing. Brooklyn Ostrowski added a trio of hits, scoring all three times while hitting a two-run bomb on the day.
Ava Franz drove home three in a two-hit, two-run performance, Madison Ostrowski singled twice and Elaina Wagner had a pair each of hits, runs and RBI.
Maranda Runco was the winning pitcher for the Wildcats, surrendering just one hit while striking out two in three innings in addition to a two-run homer at the plate. Sophia Mount tossed two scoreless frames for Villanova, recording six outs in relief.
Franz became the game's first baserunner with a one-out single in the opening frame, and Runco paid that off immediately with a rocket out of the yard for her team-leading 13th dinger of the year and a 2-0 edge.
The 'Cats loaded up the bags in the second as Brooklyn and Madi Ostrowski each singled and Kelsey White walked before Ava Mahnken drove one home with a base knock and Franz got the other two across the plate with her second single for a 5-0 advantage.
Wagner singled in the third for a leadoff runner aboard, and Reed quickly scored her with a two-run liner over the wall in left center for a two-run bomb and 7-0 lead.
Each Ostrowski sister singled again before a hit by pitch and two walks plated another pair, then Wagner singled for the second time in the inning to get two more in.
The long ball came back into the fray for the Wildcats shortly after as Reed teed off for her second of the inning with a three-run jack, then B. Ostrowski went yard to make it an 11-run inning and 16-0 edge.
Mount came on in the circle and worked around a leadoff runner in the fourth, then stranded two runners in scoring position in the fifth to deliver a 16-0 Tuesday evening win for the Wildcats.
UP NEXT: A pivotal BIG EAST series awaits the 'Cats this weekend as they head to Queens for a three-game set against the first-place St. John's Red Storm from Apr. 25-27.
