April 4, 2006

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - A four-run rally with two outs in the ninth inning allowed Villanova (12-14) to put the potential tying-run on base, but Lafayette (12-12) pitcher John Fugett recorded a strikeout to end the game and give the Leopards a 12-10 victory on Tuesday afternoon at the Class of '78 Stadium.

With the win, Lafayette advances to the championship game of the Liberty Bell Classic, which will be played next Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Leopards will meet either La Salle or Delaware in that game.

Lafayette scored four times in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead, and then broke open a 7-4 game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and two more in the sixth. The Wildcats got back into it with two runs in the top of the seventh inning and the four-run rally in the ninth, but could not come all the way back.

Sophomore James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) had a two-run single in the ninth and two more runs scored on a throwing error by the shortstop and the Wildcats eventually had runners at first and third before finally surrendering the final out.

Senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.) had a four-hit day for Villanova and sophomore Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) had two hits and drove in three runs. Senior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) hit his third home run in the last five games in the fourth inning, and sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) had a hit and three runs scored. Freshman Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) started in left field for the second straight game and was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

A strong wind at the stadium had both good and bad effects for the Wildcats offensively. Hunt's fly ball to right field in the fourth inning got into the wind and sailed far over the fence for his team-high sixth long ball of the season. However, Hunt crushed two more balls to left field that were knocked down by the wind and caught at the base of the wall for long outs. Redshirt junior catcher Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) also had a fly ball to deep left field that the wind prevented from being a home run.

Mike Raible and James Conrad had three hits apiece for the Leopards, who totaled 15 hits on the day. Conrad scored three times, while Ian Law had two hits, two runs scored and three driven in for Lafayette.

Starting pitcher Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) pitched the first 3.1 innings and was charged with the loss, before yielding to three Villanova relievers the rest of the way. Redshirt freshman Ryan Shockley (Seaford, Del.) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts as the last Wildcat pitcher.

Villanova visits Penn on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. before traveling to Connecticut for a three-game conference series against the Huskies this weekend.