Villanova University

April 28, 2006

Box Score

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Despite scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and leading 4-2 going to the bottom of the sixth, Villanova (22-19, 5-10 Big East) was defeated 9-4 on Friday evening by West Virginia (28-14, 8-8 Big East) in the opener of a three-game series. The Wildcats tied a season high with five errors in the field, including three in a long sixth inning when the Mountaineers plated six unearned runs on just one hit.

Kyle Matuszek reached on an error to lead off the sixth inning and Casey Bowling also reached when an error was made on a sacrifice bunt attempt. With the bases loaded after a hit batter, four straight runs scored on two walks, a long single and another fielding error, before two sacrifice flies accounted for the final two runs.

Senior first baseman Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) added to his Big East-best home run total on his first swing of the game, connecting for a three-run shot in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) led off the game with a single and senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.) was safe at first when a sacrifice bunt was misplayed. The Wildcats jumped on an opposing starting pitcher early on for the third straight time in the opening game of a series.

The Mountaineers got a run back in the bottom of the first, as Kyle Matuszek singled with two outs to score Tyler Kuhn. After Kuhn's single to lead off the inning, Villanova got the next two outs before Stan Posluszny extended the inning with a hit and Matuszek accounted for West Virginia's first run.

The 3-1 Wildcat lead held until the top of the fourth inning, when Arcadia walked with the bases loaded to score freshman Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.). After there were two outs and nobody on, McFolling worked out a walk, junior Andy Wendle (New London, Pa.) directed a hit through the left side and senior Kris Molloy (Hillsborough, N.J.) was hit by a pitch.

The Mountaineers got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Matuszek led off with a solo home run, but the Villanova defense first hurt, then helped, the Wildcats get out of the inning. Consecutive fielding errors allowed West Virginia runners at second and third with nobody out, but junior Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.) induced two straight groundballs that led to a runner getting thrown out at the plate. He then struck out Tyler Kuhn to end the inning with a 4-2 lead preserved for Villanova.

Hunt and Shunk each had two of the Wildcats eight hits, but Villanova managed just two hits over the final four innings as West Virginia rallied for the victory. Loree (3-5) was the victim of the six-run sixth inning, going five innings and allowing just two earned runs (five total) while permitting six hits and striking out six.

Tyler Kuhn and Justin Jenkins had three hits apiece for the Mountaineers, with Kuhn scoring three runs on the evening.

The series continues on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., with junior Kevin Mulvey (Parlin, N.J.) getting the start for the Wildcats. The final game of the series will be on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

NOTES: Villanova scored four runs in the first inning in the first game of recent series' against Pittsburgh and Seton Hall ... The Wildcats won two out of three games in each of those two series, their only two series wins of the season in conference play ... Villanova also committed five errors in a 12-10 loss to Lafayette on March 4.