April 19, 2006

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - The scoreless streak for the Wildcats pitching staff extended to 22 innings on Wednesday afternoon, as Villanova (18-17) used five pitchers to combine on a three-hit shutout of Coppin State (8-31-1) in a 9-0 victory at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. Starting pitcher Jordan Ellis (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) allowed only two hits over five scoreless frames and the visiting Eagles managed just two more runners in four innings against the Wildcats bullpen.

On the offensive end, Villanova had 12 hits, scored in each of the first three innings and broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) had three hits and drove in the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning, while senior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) had a sacrifice fly in the first that spotted the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. Villanova doubled the margin with run-scoring singles in the second inning by sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) and the third inning by freshman Matt McFolling (Oak Park, Ill.).

Meanwhile, Ellis (3-1, 5.62 ERA) allowed only two hits and two walks through five innings, and struck out seven Coppin State batters. He stranded the bases loaded in the first inning and eventually retired the final eight batters he faced.

Arcadia and McFolling each wound up with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI on the game, while Shunk and senior Kris Molloy (Hillsborough, N.J.) had three hits apiece. Hunt led off the fifth inning with a walk and the Wildcats took advantage of an error and a passed ball in the inning to mount a five-run rally. McFolling and freshman Wes Borden (State College, Pa.) had back-to-back run-scoring singles after a double by redshirt sophomore Robert Parks (Brick, N.J.), and Molloy and Arcadia scored later in the inning on a passed ball and error, respectively.

With a big lead, Villanova turned the game over to the bullpen in the sixth inning and used four pitchers to each throw a scoreless inning. Sophomore Frank Jankowski (Berwick, Pa.) was the first in, and redshirt sophomore Bill Hoffman (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) escaped a two-out, two-on jam in the seventh. Redshirt junior Jake Wolff (Randolph, N.J.) and sophomore Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.) retired the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings to seal the deal. Hoffman struck out the side in the seventh and the five Wildcat pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in the game.

Paul Ramirez (1-1) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing four runs in the first three innings. Coppin State managed just three singles on the day and stranded seven runners on base in the loss.

Villanova will face Seton Hall in its Big East Conference series for the week. The Wildcats will play a three-game series in South Orange, N.J. beginning on Friday at 3:00 p.m. The other games in the series will be on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday at Noon.