May 18, 2006

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Single runs that scored in the top of the fifth and sixth innings made the difference and Villanova (27-25, 8-16 Big East) was defeated 3-1 by No. 19 Notre Dame (39-14-1, 19-5-1) on Thursday in the first game of a three-game series at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The Wildcats were limited to five hits in the loss.

Villanova was left on the brink of elimination from next week's Big East Championship with the loss. The Wildcats are trying to seize the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament, but could be mathematically eliminated this evening if University of South Florida defeats West Virginia. Villanova's only remaining chance to earn a bid to the tournament would be to win the next two games against Notre Dame and have University of South Florida lose all three games it plays against the Mountaineers. In addition, the Wildcats need Pittsburgh to win two of three games against Georgetown in order to move into the top eight.

On Thursday afternoon, the Fighting Irish opened the scoring in the top of the third inning with a two-out single off Villanova starting pitcher Kevin Mulvey (Parlin, N.J.). Cody Rizzo and Brett Lilley had singles to put runners at the corners with one out, but Mulvey (3-8, 3.61 ERA) struck out Jeremy Barnes for the second out. However, Ross Brezovsky directed a 2-and-0 pitch through the right side to give Notre Dame the lead.

The Wildcats had nothing going early on against Fighting Irish starter Jeff Samardzija (7-2, 4.30), who did not allow a ball out of the infield while retiring the first nine batters he faced. That changed in the bottom of the fourth inning, when sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) doubled down the right field line and senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.) singled up the middle to start the inning. With one out, senior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) lined a single to center field to tie the game at 1-1.

The deadlock didn't last long, as Rizzo singled to open the fifth inning. He was caught stealing, but Craig Cooper drew a walk and eventually came around to score on a single by Barnes. A solo home run by Steve Andres in the sixth inning accounted for the final run of the game.

Hunt (.387 batting average, 17-game hitting streak) singled in the sixth and ninth innings for Villanova, but each time he was the lone batter to reach base in the inning. Hunt produced three of the five Wildcat hits aside from the hits by Arcadia and Mirsky.

After the home run by Andres in the sixth inning, Mulvey settled down and retired the next 11 batters until there were two out and none on in the top of the ninth inning. He was lifted after a hit batsman and a single, but sophomore Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) entered the game and struck out Brett Lilley on three pitches to end the inning.

In perhaps his final start, Mulvey walked just one and struck out six in 8.2 innings pitched. He scattered 10 hits and three earned runs to lower his ERA on the season to 3.61, but remained with just one win in conference play despite a 3.39 ERA against Big East opponents.

Four players had two hits apiece for Notre Dame, which stranded eight runners on base. The Fighting Irish were only 2-of-6 with runners in scoring position, but had five two-out hits to put pressure on Mulvey throughout the game.

The second game of the series is Friday at 4 p.m., with junior Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.) making the start for Villanova against Notre Dame's Jeff Manship.