Villanova’s softball team traveled to Boca Raton, Florida, to compete in the Joan Joyce Classic from Feb. 20-22. There, it faced Massachusetts, Kansas, Florida Atlantic and Southern Indiana. The Wildcats ultimately went 0-5 for the weekend, bringing their season record to 0-15.
The ‘Cats began competition on Friday, Feb. 20, against Massachusetts (6-9) and lost 4-1 in eight innings. Senior pitcher Kat Gallant pitched the entirety of the game and totaled five strikeouts.
Junior first baseman Maranda Runco was 3-of-6 at the plate for the day, and she registered two RBIs and her first home run of the season.
In the bottom of the fifth, Runco hit a single to right-center field, allowing senior second baseman Maddie Burrows to score for the Wildcats’ singular run of the game.
Massachusetts tied the game at the top of the sixth and scored three additional runs to secure the win at the top of the eighth.
Later that day, the ‘Cats faced Kansas (10-6) and fell, 8-1.
Sophomore pitcher Lexi Kobryn started the game and was later relieved by freshmen pitchers Maggie King and Carly Zych for the final two innings.
When Villanova was down one run in the first, Runco tied the game with a home run, her first of the season. Kansas answered back with a home run of its own in the fourth.
The Jayhawks added six more runs in the sixth inning to secure the win, 8-1.
On Saturday, Feb. 21, Villanova played Kansas for the second time in the tournament and lost, 4-1.
Zych pitched for the entirety of the game, the longest outing of her career so far. She walked two and gave up four runs off seven hits.
Offensively, junior outfielder Elizabeth Gray scored sophomore infielder Jaclyn Morra in the top of the second to register her fourth of the season.
In the fifth, Kansas took the lead to go up 2-1. They ended the game in six innings after adding two more runs.
That evening, the ‘Cats faced Florida Atlantic (12-5) for their final matchup of the day. They ultimately fell short in five innings, with a final score of 9-1.
Kobryn pitched an inning and gave up seven runs in her fifth start of the season. She was then relieved by sophomore pitcher Sophia Mount, who took the mound for the final three. She walked one and gave up two runs on three hits.
Villanova scored its only run of the game off of Morra’s single to right field, which scored senior second baseman Lilly St. Jean.
In the fourth inning, Florida Atlantic tallied its final two runs to end the game, 9-1.
On Sunday, Feb. 22, the Wildcats ended the tournament against Southern Indiana (3-9) with a 2-1 loss.
Gallant pitched for the ‘Cats in her sixth start of the season. She totaled a season-high six strikeouts, walked two and gave up two runs.
Southern Indiana scored an RBI in the bottom of the first, maintaining a 1-0 lead until Gray scored off a Runco double at the top of the sixth inning to tie things at 1-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Southern Indiana managed an RBI single off of Gallant to win the game, 2-1.
St. Jean, who leads the team in hits (9) and batting average (.281), went 1-2 at the plate.
The loss put the Wildcats at 0-5 for the Joan Joyce Classic.
Villanova, now 0-15, will compete next weekend at the UVA Party at Palmer Invitational, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The tournament will feature Michigan, Bucknell and Virginia. Competition will run from Feb. 27 to March 1, with the first pitch at 10 a.m. on Friday. The Invitational will be streamed on ESPN+.
