PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – John Freitag and
Jake Bollin each hit home runs as the Villanova University baseball team defeated Delaware State, 12-0, on Tuesday afternoon (March 25) in a Liberty Bell Classic game at Villanova Ballpark. Freitag and Bollin drove in nine of the Wildcats' 12 runs in the game.
Freitag went 3-for-3 on the afternoon with a grand slam, two doubles and five RBI. He also came around to score a career-high three runs. Bollin, in his first start since 2023, went 3-for-4 with a home run and a career-best four RBI.
Villanova (13-10) deployed four relievers on the mound --
Bobby Finn,
Stephen Turzai,
Pat McKenzie and
Brady Schwartzberg – who held the Hornets (3-16) scoreless for the Wildcats' first shutout of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, the Wildcats used an error, a double steal and an RBI single from Bollin to put three runs on the board in the second.
Michael Whooley led off the top of the third with a double. After the next two batters were hit by pitches, Freitag launched a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right center field for his first career grand slam, giving Villanova a 7-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth,
Tyler Shaw drove in
Brayden Leonard on sacrifice fly to right field, bringing the 'Cats' lead to eight. Then, with runners on the corners, Bollin homered to score three more runs.
McKenzie set the Hornets down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the fifth. Freitag's second double of the game in the top of the sixth inning scored Whooley, increasing the Villanova lead to 12-0. The Wildcats' pitching staff held Delaware State scoreless the rest of the way, sealing the win.
McKenzie earned his first career win to improve to 1-0 on the season. DSU starter Drew Brady fell to 0-1 with the loss.
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Wildcats have scored 10 runs and hit at least two home runs in three straight games. They have 35 hits and 32 runs over that stretch.
- With a stolen base in the first inning, JoJo Montgomery has a team-high eight stolen bases on the season.
ON DECK
The Wildcats will host LIU in a three-game series beginning on Friday (March 28) at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. Friday's game will begin at 3 p.m. ET, and all three games will be streamed live on FloSports.
