VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Villanova softball team opened the second weekend of BIG EAST play in thrilling fashion, walking it off 3-2 in extra innings on Friday afternoon to take game one over the Creighton Bluejays.
On a day where VU as a whole didn't have their best at the plate, the 'Cats did enough to pull back to an even mark early on in conference play.
Maranda Runco produced all three runs for Villanova (10-13, 2-2 BIG EAST) with a two-run inside the park homer in addition to the walkoff single.
Maddie Burrows added VU's only other hits with a pair of knocks, scoring the winning run after a one-out double in the eighth. Elizabeth Gray and Lilly St. Jean were the only other Wildcats to reach base, each working walks.
Kat Gallant picked up the complete-game victory in the circle, going all eight innings with four strikeouts and just two runs allowed in the outing.
It was a pitcher's duel at the Villanova Softball Complex with neither squad mustering a hit until the third frame and nobody scratching a run across until the second time through the orders.
Gallant worked out of runners in the second and third thanks to Ava Mahnken sniping a would-be base stealer in the second then a trio of strong defensive plays from three different players in the following stanza.
Creighton loaded up the bags to begin the fourth, using three singles, a walk and sacrifice fly to strike first with a pair of runs but Gallant stranded two in scoring position to minimize the damage to 2-0.
The Bluejays got runners to second and third again with one out in the fifth, but could not add to the advantage as Gallant got a pair of batted-ball outs to keep the deficit to two.
Gray worked a one-out walk in the sixth to become the second VU baserunner of the day before a bizarre play evened up the score as Runco laced a ball into left center where two Bluejays collided. The ball rolled all the way to the wall where the shortstop had to retrieve it, so Gray and Runco both scored on the inside-the-park homer to even up the game at 2-2.
Gallant worked through a one-out single in the seventh and the 'Cats smoked a few balls in their hacks but couldn't get any aboard, so it was free softball on the Main Line.
After the Villanova right-hander retired the Bluejays 1-2-3 in the eighth, a Burrows double gave VU a baserunner. St. Jean walked against a new pitcher and with two outs, Runco belted a ball into left center to score Burrows and walk it off as a VU victory.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats and Bluejays will play two more games to finish out the series, with Saturday scheduled for 12 p.m. and Sunday slated for an 11:00 a.m. first pitch.
