BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The non-conference schedule came to a close on Wednesday for Villanova softball, falling 9-8 at Lehigh on a seventh-inning walkoff to cap a rollercoaster of a contest at Leadership Park.
Brooklyn Ostrowski hit two home runs for Villanova (24-24-1), scoring three times and driving home a trio of runs on the day with her third career multi-dinger game. Ava Mahnken contributed a pair of RBI singles while Grace Reed and Kelsey White each hit homers for the 'Cats as well.
Lexi Kobryn went four innings as the VU starter, striking out a quartet of Mountain Hawks while giving up seven runs though just four were earned. Maranda Runco received the loss despite just one earned run, striking out one batter in two-plus stanzas.
The Mountain Hawks struck first at Leadership Park, scoring a pair of runs in the first on just two hits.
Reed answered shortly after with a one-out homer to the deepest part of the park, getting the Wildcats on the board. The 'Cats put together a two-out rally to secure the lead with Madison Ostrowski, older sister Brooklyn and Maddie Burrows earning their way aboard before a Mahnken single scored both Ostrowski sisters to grant VU a 3-2 edge.
It wouldn't take long for Lehigh to answer as two unearned runs came across in the second for the Mountain Hawks, making it a 4-3 game after a pair of frames.
After a scoreless third, back-to-back Villanova hitters teed off on the Lehigh starter for two straight Wildcat homers from White and B. Ostrowski to get the 'Cats ahead 5-4.
The home side strung together a three-run inning in response, using four hits to turn it back into a Lehigh lead and 7-5 ballgame.
The VU lineup kept mashing in the sixth as Ostrowski went yard once again, scoring White with her second homer of the day for a tied affair. Elizabeth Gray reached on an error, moved up on a passed ball and came in to score on Mahnken's second single for an 8-7 VU advantage.
Lehigh got that back in their hacks with a single and RBI double to even up the score, making it eight-all heading into the final frame.
Alexa Raphael and Jaclyn Morra each singled to lead off the seventh and White drew a walk to load the bases with nobody down, but a strikeout and pair of groundouts kept Villanova's run total at eight.
The Mountain Hawks won it early in the home half of the seventh, using an infield single and sacrifice bunt to get a leadoff runner into scoring position before a throwing error scored the runner for a 9-8 Lehigh victory.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will wrap up the regular season slate this weekend, hosting the Providence Friars for a three-game set from May 2-4 at the VU Softball Complex.
