Villanova University

April 20, 2005

Final Stats

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Sophomore pitcher Nate Hall (Skyline, Colo.) pitched a career-high eight innings and Villanova (23-10-1) had 12 hits in an 11-1 victory over La Salle (14-21) on Wednesday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

Hall scattered just five hits and an earned run in his second start of the season. He walked three and struck out three, and appeared to get stronger with each passing inning after allowing the only Explorers run in the top of the first inning. Making just the second start of his career, Hall (2-0, 2.70 ERA) allowed just three hits over his final six innings of work and registered 10 ground ball outs.

While Hall shut down La Salle, the offense picked up where it left off in a victory over Rider one day earlier. The Wildcats reached double figures in hits for the 13th time this season, including the third time in the last four games. Villanova also drew 10 walks from La Salle pitching and made every at-bat count, going 6-for-13 (.462) with two outs.

The Wildcats had two outs and nobody on in the third inning before rallying for two runs to take the lead for the first time at 2-1. Freshman Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) started a string of four straight singles, and scored on a hit through the left side by junior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.). Senior Alan Day (Lake Ridge, Va.) also had a hit in the inning, and was driven in by sophomore Robert Parks (Brick, N.J.).

Unlike the day before, when Villanova lost a big lead and had to reclaim the advantage late in the game, the Wildcats held the Explorers at bay. They gradually added to the lead with a two-out, two-run single by freshman James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) in the fifth, and got a run in the sixth inning when sophomore Frank Cirone (Arlington Heights, Ill.) scored on an errant throw. The floodgates then opened in the eighth inning, as Villanova scored six times to turn the game into a rout.

The middle of the lineup was the difference for the Wildcats, as the 4-7 hitters in the order combined to go 8-for-17 with eight runs batted in. Dolbier, who had driven in four runs one day earlier, went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in, while Hunt and Parks each contributed two hits and two RBI. Senior Mark Cardillo (Naples, Fla.) was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Day and freshman Ryan Arcadia (Boyertown, Pa.) each had a hit and scored twice for Villanova.

Rich Prall was 3-for-4 to lead La Salle, while Ryan Parfit was 2-for-5. Designated hitter Matt Dunaway was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, and scored his team's only run on an RBI groundout by Phil Marino. Starting pitcher Dan Waters (2-6, 6.02) pitched the first three innings of the game, allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Villanova returns to action this weekend with a critical Big East Conference series against Notre Dame. The teams will play a three-game series, with games on Friday night (6:05 p.m. CST), Saturday afternoon (3:05 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (12:05 p.m.). The game on Friday night will be telecast live by Comcast Local in Michigan. The game will also be shown on tape delay in the Chicago area, with exact broadcast dates and times to be announced at a later date. The Fighting Irish enter this weekend's series with an 8-4 record and third-place standing in the conference, while the Wildcats are 7-6 and in fifth place.

NOTES: Villanova is 11-1-1 this season when rapping out at least 10 hits ... The Wildcats have had at least eight hits in seven straight games, and are batting .317 as a team during that span ... The team averages 9.3 hits and 4.7 walks per game this season ... Villanova has won 45 consecutive games when it holds a lead after seven innings ... The Wildcats have not lost a game it led after the seventh inning since dropping a 7-5 decision to Virginia Tech on April 7, 2003 ... Villanova led 5-4 after the seventh inning in that game, the second of a doubleheader ... Hall had never pitched more than seven innings in a game, including his high school and collegiate career ... All but two of his 16 career appearances have come out of the bullpen ... In his two starts this season, he is a combined 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA (2 ER in 14.0 IP) ... Day's single in the third inning stretched his current hitting streak to nine games, matching his longest of the season ... The Wildcats are 11-4 this season against teams from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including a 5-0 mark against "Big 5" schools ... Villanova is unbeaten in its last 13 games against Big 5 foes (12-0-1) ... The last loss was an 8-7 setback to St. Joseph's on April 23, 2003.