April 15, 2006

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Junior starting pitcher Kevin Mulvey (Parlin, N.J.) received some much needed run support and Villanova (16-17, 3-8 Big East) claimed a series victory from the Pittsburgh (13-20, 4-11 Big East) with a 6-3 win on Saturday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. After scoring just five runs total in the last 30.1 innings Mulvey (3-5, 3.36 ERA, 4 CG) pitched, the Wildcats scored that many in the first inning alone today.

Mulvey thrilled a season-high crowd of over 500 fans with nine strikeouts and 13 groundball outs in his third straight complete game. Pitching in front of more than 50 professional baseball scouts and talent evaluators, he threw better than 70 percent of his pitches for strikes and retired 14 straight batters through the middle innings before punctuating the day with a strikeout to end the game.

Just as big a story for Villanova was the run support generated for Mulvey. After receiving just five runs of support total over 30.1 innings in his last four starts, Mulvey was treated to a five-run outburst by the Wildcats in the bottom of the first inning. He needed little help after that and was able to slam the door after the Panthers rallied for two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Mulvey escaped further trouble in the sixth by leaving two runners on base, and then got Pitt to leave the bases loaded in a scoreless seventh inning.

On the other side of the equation, junior Frank Cirone (Arlington Heights, Ill.) had the big hit in the first inning when he cleared the bases with a three-run triple off the fence in right field with two outs. Sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) led off the game for the Wildcats with a single and ended up scoring when a bunt single by senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.) was misplayed. Mirsky scored moments later on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) and Villanova then worked on loading the bases ahead of Cirone's big hit.

Mulvey was headed for a shaky start in the top of the first when David Cline started the game with a single and Jimmy Mayer doubled. A groundout by All-American Jim Negrych gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead, but was also the first in a string of 14 in a row set down by Mulvey, who didn't allow another runner to reach base until Dan Williams walked with two out in the fifth inning. It was the first unintentional walk surrendered by Mulvey in his last 25.0 innings, and he responded by striking out Jeff Stevens to end the inning.

Negrych had a two-run single in the sixth inning, but Pitt got no closer than 5-3 while attempting to rally. The Wildcats got one of the runs back on Mirsky's RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth, and both teams stayed off the scoreboard late. Starting pitcher Paul Nardozzi (4-5) took the loss for the Panthers, allowing six runs (two earned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings.

Mirsky and sophomore James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) had two hits apiece for Villanova, while Cirone was perfect in four trips to the plate. In addition to the three-run triple, he walked twice and laid down a sacrifice bunt.

Negrych drove in all three runs for the Panthers, but was still just 1-for-4 with two strikeouts against Mulvey. Negrych, an All-American, totaled six hits in a doubleheader on Thursday and entered the day hitting .515 (17-for-33) in his career against the Wildcats. Cline and Mayer had two hits apiece for Pitt, and the pair pulled off a successful double steal in the sixth inning just before the two-run single by Negrych.

Villanova had come out on the short end of eight straight conference series' before this weekend, but took split a doubleheader against Pitt on Thursday and took today's game for their first Big East series win since playing Seton Hall at home last April 9-10. The Wildcats next opponent will be Seton Hall, as the teams meet for three games in South Orange, N.J. next weekend. Before that, however, Villanova hosts two games at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth during the week. The Wildcats look for a rematch against La Salle on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. and then take on Coppin State at the same time on Wednesday.

NOTES: Mulvey has pitched 30.1 innings in four conference starts, going 1-3 with a 2.67 ERA and 31 strikeouts ... He is averaging nearly eight innings per start over his last five outings and has thrown three straight complete games ... Villanova is 5-5 this season when the opponent scores in the first inning ... The Wildcats had been 3-17-1 in Big East play since winning a series against Seton Hall last season ... Villanova had four sacrifice hits in the game.