April 10, 2007

Box Score

AMBLER, Pa. - Five unanswered runs in the first three innings made the difference on Tuesday afternoon and Villanova (13-14) was defeated 10-1 by Temple (11-17) at Skip Wilson Field. The loss was the fourth straight for the Wildcats, who scheduled this afternoon's game after their originally scheduled game against Lehigh was cancelled due to a schedule conflict.

The Owls scored twice in the first inning and three times in the third for an early 5-0 lead. Villanova broke through against freshman starter Kyle Monahan in the top of the fourth inning, but Temple scored twice in the bottom half and added two more runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) singled to open the fourth inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.). With two outs in the inning, Shunk scored the lone run of the day for the Wildcats on a single by Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.).

Monahan and two Temple relievers limited Villanova to just seven singles in the game. Joe Cotter (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) had two hits and extended his hitting streak to a career-best nine games. Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) had one hit to extend his own streak to eight games.

Sean Barksdale had a two-run double in the first inning and run-scoring singles in the third and fourth for the Owls. He finished with three hits and four runs batted in and Stan Orzechowski went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two driven in.

Monahan earned his first collegiate win, scattering an earned run on four hits in six innings. He walked none and struck out four in a game which featured 25 combined hits from the two teams but no bases on balls.

Bill Hoffman (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) was charged with the loss and dropped to 2-4 on the season. He surrendered five earned runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings pitched.

Villanova returns home on Wednesday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. game against St. Peter's (16-14).

NOTES: Today's game was the first this season in which neither Villanova nor its opponent issued a walk ... The Wildcats had drawn at least one walk in every game this season ... There had not been a game in the past six years in which no walks were issued on either side.