February 25, 2000

Boca Raton, Fla. - On the season's opening day of action, the Villanova University softball team won a close opener over Furman University, 3-0, and fell just short in extra innings to Eastern Michigan, 4-3.

The season-opener remained scoreless through the first three and a half innings until Villanova was finally able to get something going. Senior second baseman Megan O'Leary led off the inning by reaching on an error and was pinch-run for junior Janna Bullock. Regina Speicher then moved Bullock to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Kristen Verhoff's double would score Bullock to give the `Cats a 1-0 advantage - a lead they would not relinquish. The Wildcats added some insurance in the sixth inning when Regina Speicher and Kailyn Bergstrom scored two more unearned runs to put Villanova ahead 3-0.

Senior starting pitcher Carrie Walpole was very solid on the mound against Furman as she pitched five and one-third scoreless innings, allowing three hits and picking up the victory. Freshman pitcher Teresa Hornick came on in relief and pitched an inning and two-thirds to earn her first career save.

Game two was a bit more frustrating for the `Cats as they built a two-run lead only to see the game slip away in extra innings. Sara Carlson got Villanova on the board in the first inning when she singled in a run to garner her first career RBI. The Wildcats tacked on a second run in the top of the sixth as sophomore Josey Mikulyuk knocked in a run when she hit into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, scoring Bullock. Eastern Michigan came right back, however, as it tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, sending the game into extra innings after a scoreless seventh.

Using the international tiebreaker rule, Carlson started the top of the eighth on second base and moved to third on Bullock's sacrifice bunt. After the next batter grounded out, sophomore Molly Hanneman came through in the clutch with an RBI base hit that scored Carlson to put Villanova ahead 3-2.

Yet, in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Eagles not only tied the game again, they ended it with a two-run inning. Junior pitcher Keri Stoller pitched all eight innings, striking out six, but was saddled with the heart-breaking 4-3 loss.

Villanova gets back into action tomorrow as they face St. Bonaventure and Furman.