CHICAGO, Ill. — The Villanova softball team dropped the series closer to DePaul 7-6 Sunday at Cacciatore Stadium.
The 'Cats (4-19, 2-1 BIG EAST) won the series with Saturday's win, but a sixth inning rally by the Blue Demons (10-14, 1-2) captured a win for the hosts.
Maranda Runco was intentionally walked four times in the contest after a two home run day on Saturday. The intentional passes broke the single-game record and tied the season record mark.
Kat Gallant (L, 2-6) started her ninth game of the season, going six innings, striking out five, walking one and surrendering six earned runs on 10 hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Villanova took the lead on
Grace Reed's first home run of the season and 12th of her career to take a 2-0 lead in the second. Her sister,
Katie Reed, followed with an RBI double to make it 3-0.
DePaul responded in the bottom of the third with two runs to close the deficit to 3-2.
In the top of the fourth, Runco was walked to load the bases for
Lexi Kobryn, who lined a hard single up the middle to bring across
Maddie Burrows and
Madison Ostrowski and extend the 'Cats lead to 5-2.
A scoreless bottom of the fourth led to a top of the fifth which saw
Ava Mahnken hit her first home run of the season to extend the VU lead to 6-2.
The Blue Demons got within two with a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth before adding three in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead.
Runco was intentionally walked with two outs in the top of the seventh before Kobryn singled and
Lilly St. Jean walked to load the bases for VU. However, DePaul escaped the jam and ended the game with a game-ending strikeout.
Up Next
The 'Cats are set to take on Monmouth in West Long Branch, N.J. Wednesday before opening at home versus Butler March 13-15.
