April 3, 2008

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - The Wildcats softball team extends its win-streak to four games after staying strong in a rainy 6-4 victory over Towson on Thursday. The second game of the doubleheader was cancelled due to the adverse weather.

Villanova (11-12) got a lead-off single in the first inning from Danielle Maricle. Maricle stole second, and then was moved to third on a single from Jessica Curtis. The Wildcats got on the board first as Maricle scored on a wild pitch.

Towson earned its first run after a lead-off double that scored after a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1-1.

In the top of the fourth inning Allie Heon hit a two-out home run to left center field, giving Villanova a 2-1 advantage.

Jackie Dempsey got the fifth inning rolling with a single to left field, and Maricle followed with a single to the same spot. The runners moved over as Curtis singled up the middle. Meghan Morese at a huge at-bat as she hit a 2-RBI single down the left field line, scoring Dempsey and Maricle and sending Curtis to third. Curtis crossed the plate with Villanova's third run of the inning as Erynn Teague reached first on a fielder's choice. The Wildcats posted four hits in the inning, taking a 5-1 lead.

Towson threatened in the bottom of the fifth, with a lead-off walk that turned into a 2-RBI homerun from Towson's third batter, but Kat Walsh was able to get out of the inning as the bases were loaded for the last batter. Towson tightened the score to 5-3.

Maricle fired away in the seventh, despite the pouring rain, with a double to left center and scored when Curtis reached first base on a scoring error, giving the Wildcats an insurance run and increasing to a 6-3 lead. Three errors from Towson kept the bases full for Villanova, but they were unable to score anymore runs.

Though Towson had a lead-off single in the seventh that turned into a run, but `Nova prevailed through the weather and secured the 6-4 victory, their fourth consecutive win.

Maricle was 3-for-4 with 3 runs for the day, while Curtis also went 3-of-4 with one run, leading the `Cats. Villanvoa combined for 10 hits.

Walsh threw 6.1 innings, fanning five batters and giving up seven hits.

Villanova returns to conference action when it hosts Louisville on Saturday, April 5. The first pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.