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Syracuse University
(2) Villanova
Orangewomen Lose BIG EAST Opener in Extra Innings
5/9/2002 1:36:45 PM | Softball
SALEM, Va. – Ricci Lugo's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Villanova Wildcats a 3-2 victory versus the Syracuse softball team on Thursday, May 9 in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex.
Syracuse, the third seed in the tournament, is now 25-20 on the season, while the Wildcats, the second seed, improved to 45-13.
The Wildcats scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. A two-out single by Krissy Youch and a two-base error allowed Villanova to take the lead. The Orangewomen tied the game in the fourth on an unearned run. Sophomore Rachel Park (Mt. Juliet, Tenn./Friendship Christian) led off the inning with Syracuse's first hit of the game. Senior Becky Snyder (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./GAR Memorial) was inserted as a pinch runner. She stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Snyder scored the run on an error during a run-down between third base and home.
The Orangewomen took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Junior Kristen Collins (Stow, Mass./Nashoba Regional) singled down the right-field line and scored on a double by junior Christina Holowich (Castro Valley, Calif./Moreau Catholic). The Wildcats tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Heather Garboden.
The Orangewomen threatened in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with one out. However, Villanova pitcher Shannon Williams was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout to end the rally. Williams was the winning pitcher, improving to 14-2. Williams didn't allow a run in three and two-thirds innings of relief. She allowed two hits and struck out three.
Senior Heather Brown (Farmington, N.M./Farmington) was the losing pitcher for the Orangewomen. She is now 10-10 on the season. Brown allowed 10 hits and struck out three in the complete-game loss.
Park and Collins each had two hits for the Orangewomen. Park is now riding a nine-game hitting streak, the second longest in SU history.
Syracuse moves into the loser's bracket to face the loser of the Notre Dame versus Virginia Tech game at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 10.
