VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Villanova University baseball team opened its weekend series against UNC Asheville on Friday afternoon, dropping a 12–9 decision at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth Meeting on Friday, March 20.

Despite falling into an early hole, the Wildcats battled throughout the afternoon, highlighted by a late-game surge that nearly completed a comeback.
  EARLY DEFICIT
UNC Asheville came out swinging, plating five runs in the top of the first inning to grab immediate control. The Bulldogs followed with four more runs in the second, using timely hitting and consistent pressure to build a 9–2 advantage.

Villanova answered in the bottom half of the first. Brayden Leonard reached to spark the offense, and the Wildcats loaded the bases before Collin Quintano drew a walk and Carter Richey lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home two runs.
  CHIPPING AWAY
The Wildcats continued to battle back over the middle innings.

In the third, Michael Whooley came around to score on an RBI single from Quintano. Villanova added another in the fifth when Whooley doubled into the gap and later crossed the plate on Quintano's sacrifice fly, cutting into the deficit.
  BULLDOGS HOLD LEAD
UNC Asheville maintained control by adding a solo home run in the fourth inning and another run in the seventh, stretching its lead to 12–4 heading into the late innings.
  EIGHTH-INNING SURGE
Villanova refused to go quietly, erupting for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to swing momentum back in its favor.

The Wildcats strung together quality at-bats to load the bases, setting the stage for a big inning. Larry Hotaling delivered the breakthrough moment, driving a ball into the gap for a bases-clearing double that brought Villanova some momentum and cut the deficit in half.

With the energy building, Brayden Leonard followed with an RBI double to keep the rally rolling. Michael Whooley then added a sacrifice fly to cap the inning, as the Wildcats scored five runs on four hits to pull within three.
  NINTH INNING
After a shutdown inning from Jeremiah Holder, Villanova went back to bat down three and down to their final three outs.

VU was unable to build on the big eighth inning as the 'Cats went down in order to end the game as their comeback attempt fell short.
  NOTES

• Collin Quintano led the Wildcats with three RBIs
• Larry Hotaling delivered the pivotal three-run double in the eighth
• Michael Whooley scored three runs and added two hits
• Brayden Leonard recorded a multi-hit game with an RBI

  UP NEXT
Villanova continues its series against UNC Asheville on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m.