QUEENS, N.Y. – The final game of Villanova softball's penultimate conference series went the way of the opposition on Sunday afternoon with the Wildcats falling 5-2 to St. John's in the series finale at Red Storm Field.

Maranda Runco was the lone player to reach multiple times for Villanova (24-23-1, 12-9 BIG EAST) with a single and a walk on the day. Kelsey White drove home a run with an RBI single, Elizabeth Gray reached on a base knock and Ava Mahnken singled and scored while Ava Franz was the lone other 'Cat to cross the plate.

Kat Gallant struck out three during four frames in the circle, allowing five runs with only one earned in the loss. White tossed two stanzas of scoreless relief, fanning three batters on the afternoon.

For the second straight game, the Wildcats struck first at Red Storm Field as VU took advantage of a pair of free passes before a St. John's miscue allowed Franz to score on an error. A stolen base and another error put a runner on third with two down, and White converted with the game's first single to plate Mahnken and turn it into a 2-0 game.

Gallant stranded runners in scoring position during the first and third, but the Johnnies loaded up the bags on two singles and an error with nobody out in the fourth. Three singles and a walk moved the runners from station to station for a 5-2 home team lead.

Villanova was unable to add to the score column despite base knocks in the third, fifth and sixth then went down 1-2-3 in the seventh to drop the final game of the series 5-2.

UP NEXT: Villanova will finish its non-conference slate at Lehigh on Wednesday afternoon before wrapping up the regular season at home next weekend with a pivotal three-game series against Providence.