April 18, 2006

Box Score

EAST NORRITON, PA - The Saint Joseph's softball team dropped a pair of games to Villanova Tuesday afternoon, falling 9-8 in the opener and 6-1 in the nightcap at East Norriton Field.

In game one, the Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, but the Hawks fought back to take a 5-3 edge, scoring once in the bottom of the third and four in the bottom of the fourth. Saint Joseph's junior third baseman Rachel Pawlikowski (Wilmington, DE/Ursuline Academy) got her team on the board with a RBI single in the third and collected another in the fourth, while sophomores Kate Falasca and Carly Kinkler and freshman Sarah Falk each added a RBI apiece.

Villanova knotted the game at 5-5 in the top of the fifth, but the Hawks regained the lead, 7-5, in the bottom half of the inning as freshman Kelsey Moir drove in the go-ahead run and would later score on a double-steal.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, the Wildcats retook the lead in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Villanova took advantage of a Saint Joseph's fielding error as Sheri Donley's grounder went under the glove of the Hawks' infield and made it to the wall, scoring three to put Villanova up 8-7. Donley would come around to score to push the lead to 9-7.

Saint Joseph's cut the deficit to 9-8 as Moir was beaned with the bases loaded with one out. However, Kat Walsh retired the next two Hawk batters to work out of trouble and go on to earn the win.

Saint Joseph's junior pitcher Lauren Hughes was the hard-luck loser, as she allowed only four earned runs, while striking out three.

In the nightcap, Villanova jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a three-run shot by Meghan Morese.

The Wildcats took a 5-1 lead in the top of the fourth, but the Hawks answered as senior first baseman Lynn Ravert drilled a RBI double down the left field line.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, they would strand five runners over the final three innings, as the Wildcats added an insurance run in the sixth.

On the day, Pawlikowski and Moir accounted for two RBIs apiece and went 5-of-14 at the plate. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Cognigni, who was the hard-luck loser of game two, finished 2-for-5.

With the losses, the Hawks fall to 12-29-1 on the season, while the Wildcats improved to 11-28.

Saint Joseph's returns to action Friday as it hosts Fordham.

**Photographs of today's game, as well as past Hawk games can be viewed at www.sidephotos.com.