AUBURN, Ala. – Villanova softball fell in its second contest on Saturday, suffering a defeat to No. 21 Auburn by a score of 9-3.

Tess Cites and Chloe Smith notched the lone hits for Villanova (4-5), with Smith recording her first home run of the season.

Multiple VU players recorded firsts in the game, as Emily Orr earned her first start of the season, Maura McBreen and Morgan Pepkowski each had their first collegiate at bat and Kendall Spivey picked up her first RBI on a sacrifice fly.

Kat Gallant received the loss for Villanova, pitching four innings and allowing seven hits and three earned runs. Caroline Pellicano and Alyssa Seidler each tossed a frame for the 'Cats in the contest, with Seidler throwing VU's lone scoreless inning.

The Wildcats began the game's scoring in the first inning, as Cites led off the game with a single into left field. Ally Jones then reached on an error by the third baseman, and Lilly St. Jean scored Cites two batters later on another error.

Auburn earned four runs back in the bottom of the frame, as two runners reached on a single and an error loaded the bases before Lindsey Garcia hit a grand slam to give the Tigers a 4-1 advantage.

Chloe Smith got a run back for the 'Cats in the ensuing stanza, as the California native blasted a pitch that found its way over the fence after hitting the left fielder to make the score 4-2.

AU expanded its lead in the next inning with a solo shot, then scored two more in the third on a single and two errors. 

The Tigers recorded back-to-back singles in the fourth to tally another run, then tacked on a ninth in the fifth before VU gunned down a runner at the plate to prevent the eight-run rule.

Victoria Sebastian and Kelsey White both walked to start the inning, and Spivey hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in Sebastian and make the score 9-3, which was the final.

NEXT UP: Villanova will finish up its weekend on Sunday with a rematch against Dayton at 1 p.m. Eastern.