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Wildcats Play Louisville Today at 5 p.m.
May 21, 2008
Updated Villanova Game Notes
CLEARWATER, Fla.-- A day after routing top-seed St. John's 12-0 in one of the most lopsided games in tournament history, No. 8 seed Villanova (29-26) will face another stiff test today at 5 p.m. when it faces No. 4 seed Louisville (38-19) and sophomore lefthander Justin Marks at Bright House Field on the second day of the 2008 BIG EAST Championship. The Cardinals opened play yesterday with a 12-3 win over No. 5 seed Seton Hall and also won two of three games against the Wildcats during the regular season.
Villanova is coming off its best performance of the season after beating the Red Storm on Tuesday. Senior Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) hit two long home runs in the game, classmate James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) blasted a grand slam and sophomore Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.) twirled a seven-hit shutout for his second straight complete game.
On Wednesday evening the Wildcats will have senior Jordan Ellis (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) on the hill to face Louisville for the second time this season. On April 18 in Kentucky, Ellis was the victim of six unearned runs and was the losing pitcher in a 12-5 game. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed eight hits and nine runs total (three earned).
Louisville features Marks at the front of its pitching staff and the BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year in power hitting third baseman Chris Dominguez. Earlier this season, Marks shut down Villanova on a run and four hits through eight innings of work in a 12-1 Cardinal victory. He walked two, struck out nine and allowed a home run to Shunk in the top of the sixth inning for the lone Wildcat run in the game.
Marks is 7-1 with a 2.08 ERA for the season in 15 appearances, including 12 starts. Dominguez is batting .366 with 18 homers, 68 RBI, 13 doubles and a .678 slugging percentage. Louisville is hitting .310 as a team. The Wildcats mostly held Dominguez in check in their series against the Cardinals earlier this season.
Dominguez batted .308 (4-for-13) in the series with two runs scored and four RBI, while all four of hits were singles. Villanova was hurt worse by freshman outfielder and third team All-BIG EAST selection Stewart Ijames, who was 6-for-10 with five runs scored, a double and two home runs in the series.
The winner of today's game will be 2-0 in the tournament and will have a day off on Thursday. The loser will play at 4 p.m. on Thursday in an elimination game against the winner of today's game between St. John's and Seton Hall.
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