VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova softball (18-17-1) will wrap up a five-game non-conference swing on Wednesday afternoon, welcoming the Drexel Dragons to the Main Line for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch from the Villanova Softball Complex.

DEALING WITH THE DRAGONS    
The final Philadelphia Big 5 opponent of 2025 appears in the opposite dugout on Wednesday afternoon as the 'Cats welcome in the Drexel Dragons. VU hasn't lost to Drexel under Orchard, with the last loss coming in 2014 and most recent non-win being a 2018 tie. In 2021, Brooklyn Ostrowski doubled in a 2-0 Wildcat win. 2022 featured starting pitcher Kelsey White going 2-for-2 with a walk and RBI and Alexa Raphael scoring a run in 6-4 win. The most recent matchup, in 2023 with 2024's contest being rained out, saw Lilly St. Jean score two runs on two walks with Kat Gallant striking out four Ks and going 2.1 innings in a 10-3 Wildcat win.

MADE THE MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS
With last week off from BIG EAST games, the Wildcats made the six-hour trek up to Boston College for a three-team tournament. It proved to be a valuable trip for Villanova, who took two of three games with a win over each of Army and Boston College sandwiched around a loss to BC. On Friday, the Wildcats worked 11 walks for the first time since 1988 to take down the Black Knights 6-5 in eight innings, also getting a 12-strikeout start in the circle from Gallant for a new career high. Friday's second bout saw a 9-0 run rule by the Eagles with the 'Cats only managing four hits. But on Sunday, VU totaled a season-high 15 knocks in an 11-2 revenge victory over Boston College, taking advantage of the first career four-hit effort from B. Ostrowski in addition to a four-homer outing by the team. Gallant was again dominant, pitching a four-hit complete game to earn herself a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. 

DISHING ON DREXEL

• The Dragons come to the Villanova Softball Complex at 2-30, both of those wins coming in CAA play while the Dragons are 0-17 in non-conference and winless in the last 10. The victories came at Monmouth on Mar. 16 and at home against Hampton on Mar. 21.
• Mia Garza has been Drexel's top hitter in 2025 with a .338 average, 25 hits and three home runs. Kylah Reading hits .293 with 24 knocks and 10 stolen bases and Annabelle Smink has drawn 14 walks for the Dragons.
• Drexel has mainly used two arms this year, getting over 80 innings and 22 appearances from both Salisbury tansfer Madison Taylor and freshman Violet Marta. Taylor has struck out 43 in a staff-best 82.1 frames while Marta earned both of the team's wins and maintains the squad's lowest BAA. Sidney Toukonen has appeared 15 times with just 17.2 innings and Natalie Alldred has three appearances and one start on the year.

The matchup will stream on FloCollege with statistics courtesy of StatBroadcast.