May 10, 2008

Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Senior James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) doubled home the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh inning and Villanova (26-23, 10-13 Big East) salvaged a doubleheader split with a 7-4 victory over Rutgers (22-26-1, 10-13 Big East) on Saturday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights took the opening game of the day 5-4 in 12 innings and the teams will play a crucial rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m. to decide the series.

A long day at the ballpark started with a marathon opening game and the fans that stuck around for the nightcap didn't see the scoreboard change very much at the outset of the second game. The Wildcats plated three runs in the top of the first inning and added another in the top of the second. Rutgers answered with a pair of runs in both the second and third innings and by the time the third inning was over the score was once again tied 4-4, just as it had been from the eighth through 12th innings in game one.

Senior Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) bounced a high chopper to third base to open the seventh inning and was safe when a wide throw to first was ruled a throwing error. Classmate Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) was hit by a pitch and one out later Dolbier lined a double down the right field line to score both runners with his third and fourth RBI of the game.

The seventh inning rally came in time to make a winning pitcher out of sophomore Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.), who recovered from rocky innings in the second and third to face just three batters over the minimum the rest of the way and toss the first complete game by a Villanova pitcher this season. Streilein (5-4, 5.78 ERA) scattered 12 hits and three earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts. He generated groundball double plays to end both the fourth and seventh innings and finished with 10 groundball outs overall.

Earlier in the game, Villanova jumped on starting pitcher Casey Gaynor for three runs in the first inning and an early lead. Senior Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and none out and Dolbier hit a triple to plate two more runs. For the second time on the day, junior Joe Cotter (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) led off a game with a single and he was followed with singles from Arcadia and Shunk to set the table for the inning.

Cotter singled up the middle to drive in a run of his own in the second inning before the Scarlet Knights climbed back over the next two innings. Jayson Hernandez doubled to lead off the bottom of the second and with one out he and Mike Lang executed a successful double steal that wound up with Hernandez coming home from third and Lang taking third when a throw to second base went into the outfield on a cross-up at the bag. Lang scored on a groundout to bring Rutgers to within 4-2.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jaren Matthews doubled to put runners at second and third with one out and Jon Gossard followed with a two-run double to right field that tied the game at 4-4. That was as much damage as the Scarlet Knights did in the nightcap, though, as the Wildcats came up with a clutch victory to remain tied with Rutgers in the season standings.

Villanova added another insurance run in the top of the eighth inning when junior Kyle Carver (Aldan, Pa.) led off the inning with a single and eventually scored on a two-out double by Arcadia. Carver went 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the game and also drew a walk and laid down a sacrifice bunt. Cotter, Arcadia and Dolbier each had two hits in the game as well.

The second through fourth hitters in the Scarlet Knights lineup, consisting of Dan Betteridge, Matthews and Gossard each had two hits for Rutgers. Lang was also 2-for-3 batting in the seventh hole as both teams tallied 12 hits in the contest.

Dale Hering (1-1, 5.01 ERA) pitched five innings in relief of Gaynor and was charged with five hits and three runs (two earned) along with three walks and one strikeout.

The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior Bill Hoffman (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) draws the start for the Wildcats.