COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Villanova Wildcats (2-1) split their second day in Aggieland, falling to Purdue 7-5 in the first matchup before outlasting Abilene Christian 10-8 in game two of the afternoon.
GAME ONE
The opening matchup of the twin bill resulted in Villanova's first loss of the season, falling to the Purdue Boilermakers 7-5.
Maranda Runco drove in four runs with a pinch-hit, sixth-inning grand slam, one of two Wildcats with extra-base hits in the game. Elaina Wagner totaled two hits with a single to break up the no-hitter plus a double. Brooklyn Ostrowski reached base three times with an RBI single and a pair of walks and Madison Ostrowski notched the only other VU hit.
Lexi Kobryn went three innings in the circle in her collegiate debut, striking out three while allowing three runs. Maddy Burns also started out her college pitching career, tossing two hitless innings in relief while Runco received the loss after her frame in the circle.
Kobryn stranded runners in scoring position in each of the opening frames to keep things scoreless through two, but Purdue got on the board in the third thanks to a three-run homer.
Villanova finally snapped its hitless streak in the fifth inning with Wagner beating out an infield single, but VU still couldn't get anyone across the plate.
After Burns got out of back-to-back jams in the fourth and fifth frames, the 'Cats threatened by loading the bases on a trio of walks. Runco came on as a pinch hitter and after fouling off back-to-back pitches, the sophomore bombed one out of the yard for a grand slam and 4-3 Wildcat edge.
Runco then relieved Burns in the circle and Purdue took control back, putting together five hits for a four-run inning and 7-4 advantage.
The 'Cats didn't go down without a fight as a leadoff walk and wild pitch got a runner in scoring position, then the elder Ostrowski singled down the left field line to make the score 7-5.
But a popout a few pitches later brought the contest to an end, giving VU its first loss of the season.
GAME TWO
It was an active second bout of the day, with a 27-hit, 18-run matchup going Villanova's way in a 10-8 defeat of Abilene Christian.
Kelsey White totaled three hits and five RBI thanks to a solo home run and bases-clearing double. Jaclyn Morra added her first ever three hit game and scored twice; Elizabeth Gray, Ava Franz and Runco all contributed a multi-hit game, and Wagner drove home a pair of runs.
White struck out a pair in over two innings of starting work in the circle, Kobryn earned her first win in a team-high three-plus innings and Kat Gallant picked up the save with over one frame in the circle.
Villanova started off back-to-back innings with a pair of baserunners, unable to capitalize off White and Franz singles in the first before striking in the second.
With nobody down in frame two and two runners on, Wagner and Gray each singled up the middle to drive home a run, then came around to score on sacrifices by White and Franz for an early 4-0 edge.
ACU got one back in the bottom half of the second on a single and an error, but the 'Cats responded immediately with another four-run inning. B. Ostrowski doubled and Morra and Runco singled before Wagner drove one in on a sac fly. Gray juiced the bags again with a single before White cleared them on a double to left center, putting VU ahead 8-1 after three.
But the opposing Wildcats wouldn't go away, collecting four runs on five hits and an error in response to bring it to a three-run game, 8-5.
With two outs and a runner on first in the fourth, Morra pulled through with her third hit of the game and Runco delivered an RBI single to move the lead up to four.
White kept up her hot streak at the plate to kick off the fifth, belting her second homer of the week to advance her squad up 10-5.
Abilene Christian wasn't out of it yet and took some back with a three-spot in the sixth, bringing the score to 10-8. Gallant entered and calmed things down, delivering the final four outs and pulling her squad to 2-1 through the first two days of the season.
UP NEXT: Saturday brings about a loaded slate for the Wildcats, who will take on a pair of Top 25 teams with a 3:00 p.m. bout against No. 19 Baylor before their weekend finale at No. 7 Texas A&M.
