In a successful, extended trip to California and another trip to Tennessee, the Wildcats displayed some of their best baseball of the season.
Spending Spring Break on the West Coast, Villanova played seven games in 10 days and earned four wins. This past weekend, the Wildcats went 1–2 in a tough, three-game series against East Tennessee State, bringing their overall record to 6–11.
“We gained a lot of confidence out there in California,” head coach Kevin Mulvey said. “We figured out what we are capable of.”
Game one in Tennessee set the tone for the weekend with a tight, high-scoring matchup on Friday, March 15. Ultimately, Villanova fell short in a 12–11 loss.
Saturday’s game resulted in another defeat for the Wildcats, with a final score of 11–5.
The ‘Cats then shook off the losses and returned to their winning ways with a 15–8 victory on Sunday.
The Villanova offense started its elite weekend with 11 runs in Friday’s loss. Home runs by graduate outfielder Scott Shaw, graduate catcher Jason Neff and junior outfielder Connor Hale highlighted the scoring action.
Both Neff and Shaw went 2–5 with two RBIs leading the way for the Wildcats. Hale came into the game as a pinch hitter and homered in his second at-bat of the game. He went 1–3 with three RBIs coming from his seventh-inning blast that put them up, 11–5.
East Tennessee State then rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. This gave them the opportunity to take the lead in the last inning and steal a victory.
Graduate pitcher Rian Schwede started on the bump, going 5.1 innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and four walks. The bullpen didn’t perform too well, allowing the seven runs that gave Villanova the loss.
Game two was a different story, with East Tennessee State taking an early lead and holding it for the rest of the way.
Senior pitcher Devin Rivera started the game and pitched two innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and four walks to earn the loss. The bullpen didn’t do him any favors, as Villanova then allowed six more runs to extend the deficit.
The Wildcats’ offense was still solid, despite the significant loss. Graduate first baseman Jack O’Reilly and sophomore infielder Michael Whooley had the best days, with both of them clobbering seventh-inning homers. O’Reilly went 2–4 with an RBI, while Whooley also went 2–4 and collected three RBIs.
Villanova baseball won Sunday, 15–8. Everyone got involved in this offensive clinic.
O’Reilly led the way again, going 4–6 with three RBIs, including a two-RBI home run. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Collin Quintano had a day as well, batting 3–5 with 4 RBIs, a team high. Quintano impressed by mashing two homers on the day, including a monster three-RBI slam in the fifth.
“We continue to gain confidence and stay in our zone,” Mulvey said about Villanova’s offense this weekend. “Our guys are taking their walks and when they get their pitch they look to hit line drives. Sometimes line drives turn into home runs, as you saw this weekend.”
The Wildcats improved on their pitching in the third game, but still struggled. Graduate pitcher Luke McCollough started and allowed five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Freshman Jake Francis replaced him on the mound and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 3.2 innings.
Senior pitcher Cade Udell pitched two scoreless innings and only allowed one hit and one walk.
Villanova’s offense starting to catch fire in the final game of the series helped Francis earn the win.
This weekend continued a trend for Villanova of outstanding offensive play, but lackluster defense. The Wildcats will look to keep working on their game as they head into their next matchups. After their home opener against St. Peter’s on March 20 at 3 p.m., Villanova will visit George Mason University March 22-25 in a three-game series.
