May 5, 2007

Box Score
Game 2: Villanova 10, West Virginia 5

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - A three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning plated the tying and winning runs and Villanova (23-19, 8-11 Big East) seized momentum in the first game of a doubleheader by edging West Virginia (24-17, 6-12 Big East) 6-4 on Saturday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. Senior starting pitcher Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.) pitched a complete game for his sixth win of the season and broke the school's career innings pitched record in the process.

The Wildcats trailed 4-1 at one point in the game but had cut the margin to 4-3 starting the bottom of the eighth inning. A walk and single started the home half of the eighth and junior James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners along. With two in scoring position, the Mountaineers played the infield back and conceded the tying run, which scored on a groundout by senior Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.).

Junior Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was at third with two outs and started up the line on the next pitch. After the pitch, West Virginia tried to pick him off third but the throw was in the dirt and bounced in between the third baseman and shortstop. Terpak took notice of the ball getting in between the two players and raced home to score the eventual winning run. A double by junior Gus Guida (Martinsville, N.J.) later in the inning added an insurance run.

The clutch hitting by Villanova made possible the rally late in the game but the individual highlight came on the mound, where Loree (6-2, 3.35 ERA) retired the final 12 batters he faced and broke a career innings record that had stood for 18 years. He scattered nine hits and four runs (three earned) in the game, while walking three and striking out four. He held Mountaineer leading hitter Justin Jenkins to an 0-for-5 performance and did not allow a base runner after Chris Enourato singled to lead off the sixth.

West Virginia scored three times in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead and added a single run in the top of the fifth to extend the margin to three runs. Trent Ridgley and Jordon Yost had consecutive run-scoring hits in the third inning rally, but the Wildcats began to make their charge in the bottom of the fifth.

Junior Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) drove in a run with a groundout in the fifth inning and added a run-scoring single in the seventh to get Villanova to within a run. He finished 2-for-3 and scored a run in the game, while Guida had a career-high three hits and scored two runs. Dolbier also had two hits off Mountaineer pitcher Josh Whitlock (6-4, 3.77), who went the distance and allowed eight hits and six earned runs.

The Wildcats went on to sweep the doubleheader with a 10-5 victory in the second game, moving into seventh place in the BIG EAST standings.

NOTES: Loree broke the innings record of 297.0 career innings set by Rafael Novoa (1986-89) ... Villanova is just 3-17 (.150) this season when trailing after seven innings but has two wins in the last week in games like that ... The Wildcats rallied past Cincinnati 8-7 last Saturday with a four-run eighth inning ... In the six-year tenure of head coach Joe Godri, Villanova is 9-93 (.088) in games it trails after seven innings.