April 19, 2005

Final Stats

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - A run-scoring single by senior Alan Day (Lake Ridge, Va.) and a two-run, inside-the-park home run off the bat of freshman James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) saved the day after the Wildcats lost a seven-run lead, and Villanova (22-10-1) went on to a 13-10 victory over Rider (10-19) in a non-conference game on Wednesday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

The Wildcats led 10-3 after five innings, but the Broncs came back with a run in the top of the sixth before the floodgates opened for six runs in the top of the eighth inning that tied the game at 10-10. The game didn't stay tied for long, as Villanova got three back in the bottom half to seal the win.

Senior Angelo Petracca (Sanford, Fla.) opened the home half of the eighth with a single to left-center field. After junior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) moved him down to second with a sacrifice bunt, Day lined a ball up the middle that scored Petracca to restore the lead at 11-10. Day stole second base, and moved on to third on a groundout by sophomore Robert Parks (Brick, N.J.). Dolbier then hit the first pitch he saw into the gap in right-center field. Two Rider outfielders made a dive for the ball, but it fell in between them and rolled all the way to the fence. Dolbier motored all the way around the bases, and slid into home plate ahead of the throw from the outfield.

Senior reliever Mike Grodecki (Northbrook, Ill.) recorded the final five outs and picked up his second win in the past four days. He allowed a leadoff single to start the ninth, but then retired the next three batters to put an end to a game that lasted 3:14.

Petracca was 3-for-5 on the day with two runs scored, while Day was had three hits, three runs batted in and two runs scored. It was a 15-hit attack for Villanova, which received hits from seven different players. Dolbier wound up 2-for-4 with four runs batted in, and freshman Dan Zurek-Toton (Malvern, Pa.) had a three-run triple during a six-run second inning that spotted the Wildcats an early 6-1 lead.

Gene Crimoli had three hits and two runs scored to lead Rider, while Bryan Wagner and Jordan McCreedy had two hits apiece. Starting pitcher Erik Holck recovered from a difficult second inning to pitch into the seventh. He allowed 12 hits and 10 runs (six earned) in his outing, while striking out five and walking two. Evan Garcia took the loss in relief.

With the game seemingly in hand, Rider turned the tables with their six-run outburst in the eighth. After making an out to start the inning, the Broncs drew three straight walks to load the bases. They would follow that up with three straight singles that scored one run each, before a fourth walk in the inning forced home a run to make it 10-8. The bases were still loaded with two out when Charles Van Schaick singled home two runs to tie the game at 10-10.

Villanova is back in action at home on Wednesday afternoon with a 3 p.m. game against La Salle. The Wildcats defeated the Explorers 4-3 earlier this season in Philadelphia.

NOTES: Villanova is 15-0 this season when leading after seven innings ... The Wildcats reached double figures in hits for the 12th time this season ... They are 10-1-1 in those games ... All of the hits have had an impact on the pace of the squad's games ... Six of the past nine nine-inning games have lasted at least three hours ... Villanova is 10-4 on the season against teams from New Jersey and Pennsylvania ... Freshman Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) was 2-for-4 in the game and leads the Wildcats with 12 multi-hit games on the season ... Petracca is right behind him with 11 multi-hit games ... The Wildcats are 11-1-1 in Mike Grodecki's 13 appearances this season and have won the last nine games in which he has pitched ... Zurek-Toton was making his first collegiate start behind the plate ... With a pair of mid-week games ahead of a crucial conference showdown against Notre Dame this weekend, the Wildcats changed around their lineup ... Nine of the 16 players who appeared in the game for the Wildcats were underclassmen, including seven freshmen.