QUEENS, N.Y. – Villanova softball fell in both halves of a Friday doubleheader in the Empire State, dropping a pair of contests to the St. John's Red Storm.

Villanova (24-22-1, 12-8 BIG EAST) suffered defeats in a 3-1 game one pitcher's duel and a high-scoring 11-2 run-rule loss to close the day.

GAME ONE
The Wildcats fell in a low-scoring affair to start out the series, suffering a 3-1 defeat in game one at Red Storm Field on Friday.

Kat Gallant struck out four in six innings of work, surrendering three runs on seven hits with no walks allowed. 

Kelsey White provided the lone run support with a solo homer in the sixth with Ava Franz singling for the other VU hit. Elaina Wagner and Elizabeth Gray were the only other Wildcats to reach base, each drawing a walk in the outing.

Neither team was able to get a baserunner in the first as each side was retired in order, but Wagner drew a leadoff walk and the Johnnies notched a pair of one-out singles in the second though neither team appeared on the scoreboard.

St. John's was first on the board in the fifth, using a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and two-out base knock to scratch one across for a 1-0 edge.

That Red Storm lead wouldn't last very long though as Villanova's first hit of the afternoon was a big one when White looped a 3-2 pitch out to left that cleared the fence for a solo homer and a tie game at 1-1.

St. John's grabbed the advantage back in the sixth, stringing together a two-out double and pair of singles in the frame for a 3-1 lead.

Gray worked a walk to get the Wildcats a baserunner in their final hacks, but a popout ended the opportunity and the first game as a 3-1 VU loss.

GAME TWO
Villanova struck first and last in the day's second game, but the Johnnies managed double-digit runs across the first two innings to take an 11-2 run-rule victory.

Five players totaled a hit in the second contest for the Wildcats, including a solo homer and walk from Maranda Runco and a pair of times aboard for Grace Reed with a base knock and base on balls. VU also got a single and run scored from Franz and an RBI knock out of Wagner.

Lexi Kobryn received the loss after one-plus frames as the starter, striking out two but allowing seven runs on eight hits. Runco threw under an inning of relief with four runs against her while White blanked the Red Storm in a pair of stanzas.

The second bout started in a completely different way for the VU lineup, matching their game one hit total in the first inning alone on singles from Franz and Wagner. Franz put one into left field for the game's first baserunner and moved up on a groundout, then a Wagner poke into the outfield scored her classmate for a 1-0 lead.

St. John's answered right back with four runs in their opening hacks, making it a 4-1 game after the first thanks to two homers and three singles.

It turned into a 7-1 ballgame in the second with a bunt single, RBI double and two-run homer chasing Kobryn from the game early. A single and two doubles followed before another two-run dinger made the score 11-1 after two.

Runco got one back for the Wildcats in the third, blasting a pitch over the wall in right center for her 14th homer of the year to move the sophomore into sole possession of second place in program history for dingers in a single season.

White delivered a pair of scoreless innings in relief, but the Villanova lineup couldn't take advantage of runners in either of the last two frames and dropped the game 11-2 and the series to the Johnnies.

UP NEXT: With inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday, the series finale is set to take place on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. from Red Storm Field.