Feb. 24, 2006

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Post-Game Notes

AUSTIN, Texas - In its first game against the nation's defending champions, Villanova (2-2) was defeated by an 8-0 score by No. 7 Texas (7-6) on Friday afternoon at Disch-Falk Field. The Wildcats were limited to just five hits on the day and struck out 13 times.

Offensively, the Longhorns got started in the bottom of the second inning when Kyle Russell tripled with one out, and eventually scored on a successful safety squeeze bunt by Bradley Suttle. Texas then scored four times in the fourth inning, as Suttle had a two-run single in between run-scoring hits by Jordan Danks and Brett Lewis.

Junior starting pitcher Kevin Mulvey (Parlin, N.J.) pitched the first five innings for Villanova, allowing six hits and six runs. He walked two and struck out six in his outing, including at least one strikeout in four of his five innings. Mulvey (1-1, 6.30 ERA) struck out Drew Stubbs to lead off the fourth inning, but a single and a walk put two runners on with one out. Danks then hit a fly ball to left field that fell in for a hit and then bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double.

Meanwhile, Longhorns starting pitcher Adrian Alaniz managed to stifle the Wildcats offense in his third win of the season. Alaniz (3-0, 1.48 ERA) registered a career-high 10 strikeouts and surrendered just four singles and three walks in his eight innings of work. Kyle Walker struck out the side in the ninth inning.

Sophomores Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) and James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) both reached base twice for Villanova. Each player was 1-for-3 and drew a walk in the game. Junior Frank Cirone (Arlington Heights, Ill.) added a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning.

Suttle finished the day 2-for-3 with a career-high four runs batted in for Texas, while Russell scored three runs to lead the Longhorns. Carson Kainer was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and preseason All-American Drew Stubbs was 1-for-3. His hit came in the fifth inning, a solo home run that traveled over the fence in left field.

Redshirt sophomore Bill Hoffman (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) took over on the mound for the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth inning. He quickly retired the first six batters he faced over two innings, before surrendering two hits and two runs in the bottom of the eighth.

The teams continue the three-game series on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when Villanova junior Mike Loree (0-1, 4.50) faces Texas pitcher Kyle McCullough.