Villanova University

April 9, 2009

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - A pitchers' duel in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon wound up being decided by the bullpens in extra innings and Villanova (15-16, 1-9 Big East) fell to Seton Hall (15-12, 6-4 Big East), 4-2 in 11 innings, at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The day's second game was set to begin at approximately 4 p.m.

A pair of run-scoring singles with nobody out in the top of the 11th inning plated the decisive runs in a game in which Wildcat starter Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.) went nine innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits. Streilein walked just one and struck out five while going eight or more innings for the third consecutive start.

Chris Affinito led off the 11th inning with a seeing-eye single through the left side and was pinch run for by Will Walsh, who stole second on the very next pitch. The throw to second base trying to throw out Walsh appeared to be in time but a tag wasn't made until after Walsh had found footing on the bag. Pinch hitter Charlie Rivera than singled up the middle to drive in the eventual winning run. Michael Rogers added a single one batter later before Villanova escaped the inning without further damage.

The Wildcats had just four hits in the game, with two of those coming in the bottom of the first inning when senior Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.) singled home redshirt freshman Matt Szczur (Erma, N.J.) with the game's first run. The Pirates tied the game in the top of the second inning and went ahead 2-1 in top of the sixth before Villanova made the score 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Senior Joe Cotter (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) had two hits and a run scored for the Wildcats. He led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to center field, at the time the team's first hit since the bottom of the first inning. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Wes Borden (State College, Pa.), moved to third on a balk and scored on a sacrifice fly to shallow left field by pinch hitter Justin Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.).

In the top of the second inning, back-to-back doubles by Frank Esposito and Rogers got Seton Hall on the board and tied the game 1-1. Streilein retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced through the end of the fifth inning, however, and appeared in complete control during his outing. The only other run he allowed came in the sixth when Bobby Abreu singled, stole second and scored on a single by Sean Gusrang.

Villanova turned to sophomore Mike Francisco (Malvern, Pa.) in extra innings and he worked effectively in a scoreless 10th inning before running into early trouble in the 11th. Francisco (1-2, 4.81 ERA) allowed three hits, two walks and two earned runs in two innings pitched.

Sean Black went the first eight innings for the Pirates and allowed three hits and two runs (one earned). He walked two and struck out 10 before the Seton Hall bullpen combined to pitch three scoreless innings. Matt Singer (3-1, 5.16) surrendered a hit and a walk in two frames and George Fernandez pitched the bottom of the 11th for his first career save. Rogers was 3-for-5 with the two runs batted in for the Pirates.

NOTES: Villanova was playing its first extra inning game of the season ... It last went to extra frames last year on the final day of the regular season when it played 11 innings against St. John's, also in the first game of a doubleheader ... The Wildcats won that game 8-7 to clinch their second consecutive berth in the BIG EAST Championship ... Streilein has allowed six earned runs over 25 1/3 innings in his last three starts (2.13 ERA) but has just one win to show for it (1-1, one no decision).