May 23, 2007

Box Score

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Senior Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) homered to drive in what proved to be the decisive run and Villanova (29-24) eliminated Notre Dame (28-28) from the BIG EAST Championship with a 3-2 victory at KeySpan Park on Wednesday. The Wildcats remain alive in the tournament and will play on Thursday at 4 p.m. against either Rutgers or Louisville.

After managing just one hit on Tuesday in a 3-1 heartbreaking loss to Louisville, Villanova matched that total on the second pitch of the game, when junior Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) doubled to right field. Sophomore Matt McFolling (Chicago, Ill.) followed with a double that drove in Arcadia and the Wildcats were rolling towards a big first inning. With runners at the corners and one out later in the frame, Gillin bounced into a fielder's choice that scored McFolling.

Villanova rode the strong starting pitching of junior Jordan Ellis (Bryn Mawr. Pa.), who earned his sixth win of the season. Ellis (6-1, 3.75 ERA) hit Brett Lilley to lead off the bottom of the first inning but retired the next 10 batters to face him befoer Danny Dressman bunted with one out in the fourth for the first Fighting Irish hit.

Gillin had hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to extend the Wildcats lead to 3-0, and his fifth long ball of the year loomed even larger in the bottom half when Jeremy Barnes doubled with two outs to get Notre Dame on the board and trim the margin to 3-2.

Ellis was never in trouble after the fourth and sophomore Josh Eidell (Norristown, Pa.) turned in yet another strong outing to earn his fourth save of the year. Eidell (four saves, 4.74 ERA) entered with runners at first and second and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning. The first batter he faced laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners along to second and third and take away the possibility of a double play.

Eidell induced a pop-up in the infield for the second out and Ross Brezovsky then lined a ball back up the middle towards the box. The ball caromed off of Eidell's leg and towards first base, and the pitcher was the only one who would have had a play. Eidell recovered the ball in time to throw out Brezovsky at first to end the jam.

In the ninth inning, Eidell struck out Barnes leading off but Mike Dury reached on a one-out error to bring the potential winning run to the plate. However, Ryan Smith bounced into a double play that was started by Eidell to end the game.

McFolling had two hits and Gillin the two runs batted in for the Wildcats, who won a postseason game for the first time since the team went 3-2 at the 1997 BIG EAST Championship. The win also ended an 11-game winless streak (0-10-1) against the Fighting Irish. Villanova had not beaten Notre Dame since a 3-2 win in 13 innings on March 23, 2003, the day the Wildcats opened their brand new stadium, the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

Ellis was charged with two earned runs on five hits in 7.0 innings of work, while walking three and striking out six. Eidell retired all six batters he faced.

After the rocky first inning, Fighting Irish ace and All-BIG EAST first team selection David Phelps settled in and pitched the remainder of the game. He allowed just five hits and the three runs (two earned) in the game, walking three and striking out nine. Danny Dressman had two hits for Notre Dame.

Villanova is the No. 6 seed in the BIG EAST Championship, while Notre Dame was the No. 7 seed. The Fighting Irish lost Tuesday's game to No. 2 seed Rutgers by a 14-2 margin to drop into today's elimination game. Rutgers plays No. 3 seed Louisville at 5 p.m. Wednesday, with the loser of that game taking on Villanova on Thursay at 4 p.m.

NOTES: Through its first two games at the BIG EAST Championship, Villanova and the opposition have combined for just 16 hits ... On Tuesday against Louisville neither team recorded a hit until the bottom of the first inning and the Cardinals wound up with a 5-1 hit margin in a 3-1 victory ... Today both teams had just five hits in another good pitchers' duel ... The Wildcats have had five games this season in which they recorded 16 or more hits, the combined total for Villanova and its first two opponents at the tournament ... Ellis is 11-2 in his Villanova career ... He has not allowed a home run in 69.2 innings this season.