The softball team split its doubleheader with DePaul on Saturday after they managed to come back from a 6-3 loss in the first game to win the second, 3-2. 

In the first game on Saturday, freshman Amanda Marquez gave Villanova a 1-0 lead by hitting a home run down the left-field line. She also earned one RBI. DePaul answered that solo home run with three hits from junior Alex Morocco, two hits and two RBIs by junior Sean Plese and a home run that brought two players home by Simone Ashkar. 

Villanova senior Jess O’Boyle, sophomores Molly Manning, Shannon O’Brien and Tessa Braga each had one hit. Marquez, O’Boyle and Manning scored the three runs for the Wildcats, but it was not enough to catch the Blue Devils at six runs.

In the second game, DePaul took the lead in the fourth when junior Brittney Yniguez made a sacrifice fly RBI. 

Villanova tied the score at 1-1 in the fifth until DePaul made it 2-1 during a play where senior Becca Heteniak got held up between first and second base, allowing Plese to score from third. The Wildcats were losing 2-1 with two out in the top of the seventh inning when back-to-back home runs were hit by sophomore Manning and Kristi Burlin. 

This was after freshman Blue Devil pitcher Bree Brown lost focus after holding the Wildcats to one run on six hits through the first six innings. 

Both O’Boyle and O’Brien went 2 for 4 at the plate. The Wildcats manage to hit a combined nine, with one hit each from Manning, Burlin, freshman Valerie Ortega, senior Danielle Maricle and sophomore Jamie O’Hara. 

Caitlyn Delahaba threw a complete game and earned her seventh win on the mound by allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out two batters.

On Sunday, DePaul was determined to redeem itself. With a triple in the first inning, the Blue Devils kick-started the intensity they needed to beat the Wildcats 11-2 in five innings.  

O’Boyle gave the Wildcats their lone two runs with one hit, O’Brien also had one hit, and Maricle was 2 for 2 at the plate.  Morocco scored the first run for the Blue Devils off a Heteniak groundout. 

In the top of the third, the Wildcats tied the game with a single by Maricle to start of the inning. Maricle stole second and made it to third when Braga made a sacrifice fly. 

It was O’Boyle’s hit into centerfield that got Villanova its first run. 

DePaul came right back at the Wildcats in their half of the third when Morocco was also able to drive in two runs. 

The fourth inning brought even more trouble for the Wildcats, as 12 batters got up to the plate for DePaul, giving the team eight runs on six hits, making the score 11-1. 

Yniguez had a solo left-field home run and an RBI single in her second time at bat ogf the inning. Senior Marie Thompson followed with a three-run double into left field. 

In the top of the fifth, Maricle singled and then made it to second when junior Becky LaMarca walked.

 Maricle and LaMarca both advanced on a groundout and Maricle was able to make it home when O’Boyle had an RBI groundout. Villanova’s record after Sunday fell to 14-18 and 2-4 in the Big East.

Villanova continues play today when it heads to Philadelphia for a double header against Temple. The games are scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m.