VILLANOVA, Pa. – It was a wild finish to the penultimate conference home series for Villanova softball, run-ruling the DePaul Blue Demons 8-0 and 11-1 in a Sunday doubleheader at the Villanova Softball Complex.
There were 24 hits and seven homers combined for Villanova (22-17-1, 11-4 BIG EAST), who got star performances out of both pitchers and production up and down the lineup in both games.
GAME ONE
Madison Ostrowski had a career day in game one for the Wildcats, totaling three RBI on a pair of run-scoring doubles in her third career multi-hit game.
Ava Franz added a pair of hits and three runs driven in on a three-run walkoff homer, Maranda Runco contributed a two-hit, two-RBI game with a dinger and Ava Mahnken totaled a pair of knocks and two runs scored for the Wildcats.
Lexi Kobryn struck out five in a shutout six-inning victory, allowing just four baserunners on the day with 13 batted-ball outs.
Kobryn fanned three batters in the first, working around a two-out single to blank the Blue Demons in that frame. Runco and Elaina Wagner each singled back up the middle in VU's half, but a strikeout ended the opportunity as a scoreless opening inning.
Kelsey White singled to kick off the second, and was then replaced at first by Grace Reed on a diving fielder's choice. With two outs, Ostrowski lasered a 2-0 pitch over the left fielder's head and Reed got on her horse to score all the way from first and make it a 1-0 VU edge.
The third and fourth ended scoreless for both sides then after Kobryn allowed Villanova's first walk of the weekend with two down in the fifth, Ostrowski saved extra bases with a diving snare in center to get the 'Cats out of the inning unscathed.
It wouldn't take long for the Wildcats to pay off the junior for that catch as a Mahnken single was followed up by a Runco missile for VU's first homer of the weekend and a 3-0 advantage.
White and Reed each worked walks to lead off the sixth and Ostrowski came through yet again, scoring both on a two-RBI double for a 5-0 lead.
Mahnken earned her way aboard with a single, then the ballgame was over in a flash as Franz scorched a liner over the wall in center for a three-run bomb to induce the run rule at 8-0 and walk off the opening game.
GAME TWO
The second bout was a home run fest for the Wildcats, who tied a season-high with five homers in an 11-1 five-inning victory to sweep the series.
Brooklyn Ostrowski accomplished a feat that hasn't been done since the program's inaugural season in 1977, blasting three home runs in the same game for a 3-for-3, five-RBI outing.
Franz added three hits, two runs and four RBI with a three-run shot of her own while Maddie Burrows contributed two hits and Mahnken notched a solo homer and scored twice.
White was the third Villanova pitcher to go the distance this weekend, tossing a five-inning three-hitter with a strikeout and nine groundouts for her third win of the year.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to get started in game two, putting up a five-spot in the opening frame. It all started at the top of the order with Mahnken, who crushed a pitch down the left field line and over the fence for a leadoff homer and early advantage.
Franz singled and Wagner walked to get two aboard, then White singled through the left side to score her classmate and get VU up a pair. The elder Ostrowski, Brooklyn, capitalized on those two runners, blasting the first pitch of her AB over the wall in left center for a three-run homer and 5-0 lead after the first.
DePaul got its first run of the weekend in their second-inning response, playing some small ball after a leadoff walk with a bunt single, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly plating one to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
Madi Ostrowski singled to lead off the second and after walks from Mahnken and Runco, Franz crushed a pitch halfway up the batter's eye to clear the bases with a grand slam.
B. Ostrowski kept the lineup's hot streak going, going yard to the opposite field for a five-run inning and 10-1 edge.
Neither team was able to strike in the third and after White got three straight groundouts to retire the Blue Demons in the fourth, B. Ostrowski sent the very next pitch out of the park for an individual three-homer game and an 11-1 lead.
White came back out for the fifth and retired DePaul in order, delivering a sweep of the series with an 11-1 run-rule victory.
UP NEXT: Villanova heads on the road next week, traveling to The First State for a Tuesday matchup at Delaware before an Easter weekend series at Butler from Apr. 17-19.
