Arcadia Drives in Two Runs in 6-2 Loss to Notre Dame
May 19, 2006
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) doubled home both of the Wildcat runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Villanova (27-26, 8-17 Big East) was defeated 6-2 by Notre Dame (40-14-1, 20-5-1) on Friday in the second game of a three-game series. The Wildcats welcomed back many former players and their families on Alumni Day at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth, with a season-high 647 fans in attendance.
The Fighting Irish scored twice in the top of the fourth inning and added another run in the fifth for a 3-0 lead in support of starting pitcher Jeff Manship (9-1, 2.65 ERA). Villanova managed just two hits over the first six innings, and Notre Dame added two more runs in the top of the seventh to stretch the margin.
With one out in the eighth inning, freshman Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.) was hit by a pitch and junior Frank Cirone (Arlington Heights, Ill.) singled past the third baseman. Senior Kris Molloy (Hillsborough, N.J.) hit a ball to third base and a force-out was recorded at the bag, but an errant throw prevented any chance of a double play, and put runners at second and third for Arcadia. The second-year shortstop for the Wildcats then cashed in, drilling a ball down the left field line to score both runners with his second double of the series.
Redshirt junior catcher Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) had two hits to lead Villanova and raised his batting average to .462 (6-for-13) over his last five games. Senior Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) singled in the bottom of the ninth inning to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games. Hunt has now reached base safely in his last 32 consecutive games.
Russ Brezovsky singled home a run and Steve Andres delivered a sacrifice fly for the Fighting Irish in the fourth inning and Brezovsky added a two-run double in the seventh inning to finish 2-for-4 with three RBI. Manship wound up going 7.2 innings and allowing five hits. He walked one and struck out six, while just one of the two runs charged against him was earned.
Five of the Notre Dame runs were charged to the account of junior starting pitcher Mike Loree (Gillette, N.J.). Loree allowed just one batter to reach base through the first three innings before the Fighting Irish rallied against him in the fourth. He wound up going six-plus innings, allowing six hits, five runs and four walks. Sophomore Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) allowed one run and three hits in three innings of work.
The season-finale for Villanova is on Saturday at Noon against the Fighting Irish. Freshman Josh Eidell (Norristown, Pa.) will pitch against Notre Dame's Tom Thornton.
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