March 2, 2007

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Villanova (3-4) allowed six runs in the sixth inning and was defeated 12-3 by Florida Atlantic on Friday night in the first game of its spring break trip to the Boca Raton area. The host Owls are ranked as high as No. 27 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

After a two-run rally to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning, the Wildcats saw Florida Atlantic take the lead back for good in the bottom half of the frame. After there were two outs and nobody on, William Block walked, stole second and scored on a single by Dan Bomback. The Owls eventually loaded the bases, although Villanova had a chance to get out of the inning without further damage against a lineup that had stranded seven runners through the first five innings.

It was with the bases loaded, however, that Florida Atlantic produced the big hit in the game. Justin Martin took advantage of a breeze that carried the ball to left field and hit a grand slam to break the game open. Travis Ozga added a run-scoring single to cap the inning.

The Wildcats had fallen behind 3-1 after allowing single runs in the third through fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, though, Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) and James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) started the inning with consecutive doubles that halved the deficit to 3-2. Dolbier advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball to tie the game.

Starting pitcher Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.) worked 4 1/3 innings and scattered nine hits while allowing three earned runs. He walked none and struck out four, leaving the game with two runners on and a 3-1 deficit. Senior Nate Hall (Longmont, Colo.) got out of the inning on two pop-ups and the two Villanova runs in the sixth took Loree off the hook.

Gillin went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Wildcats, while Dolbier and Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) each drove in a run. Ryan Shockley (Seaford, Del.) pitched the final two innings out of the bullpen and allowed one run on one hit while striking out two in his first outing of the season.

The floodgates were open after the big sixth inning, though, as the Owls plated three more runs in the seventh inning. Hall wound up being charged with three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss. Alex Pepe pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win for Florida Atlantic. Block and Bomback each had three hits for the Owls, who totaled 15 base hits in the game. Block also scored four runs.

The remaining four games for the Wildcats during their trip to Florida will be played at the Santaluces Sports Complex in Palm Beach. Villanova has a quick turnaround and will play Mt. St. Mary's on Saturday morning beginning at 11 a.m.

NOTES: Villanova is 15-6 (.714) in games played in the state of Florida since sixth-year head coach Joe Godri took over the program ... Terpak, a junior, played his freshman season for Florida Atlantic and his sophomore season for St. Petersburg College before enrolling at Villanova.