April 11, 2006

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Senior first baseman Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) took over the Big East home run lead with two homers and sophomore Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) pitched seven scoreless innings on Tuesday afternoon as Villanova (14-16) blanked Lehigh (14-21) 11-0 in a non-conference game at Goodman Campus Field.

Hunt (.287, 9 HR, 32 RBI) hit a two-run home runs in both the seventh and eighth innings and the Wildcats broke open a 3-0 game by scoring eight times in their final three at-bats. Meanwhile, Wendler (2-2, 5.68 ERA) allowed just four singles and struck out eight in seven innings of work to register his second win of the season.

In the top of the second inning, sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) doubled home the game's first run and then scored on a single by senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.). A third run scored in the fourth inning on a fielder's choice by senior Kris Molloy (Hillsborough, N.J.), and the Mountain Hawks stayed within striking distance through the middle innings of the game.

However, that changed late in the game, as Hunt and redshirt junior Jim Gillin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) each went deep during a five-run eighth inning that put the game well out of reach. Lehigh managed just five singles for the afternoon and could not contain an offense that was waiting to breakout after struggling during the past weekend.

Hunt and Arcadia each finished the day 3-for-5, while four other players had at least two hits. Sophomore Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two driven in to take over the team lead in hitting with a .366 average. Mirsky was 2-for-4 in the game, while senior Darren Griffith (Edison, N.J.) and freshman Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) also had multi-hit games.

Redshirt junior Jake Wolff (Randolph, N.J.) pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game for the Wildcats. He allowed only one hit and struck out two without any walks in his fourth appearance of the season.

Starting pitcher Adam Marr took the loss for Lehigh, surrendering three runs (one earned) on eight hits in 5.1 innings pitched. Five different players each had one hit for the Mountain Hawks.

Villanova will play a three-game series against Big East rival Pittsburgh this weekend. Due to the Easter holiday, the series will be played over two days. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at Noon on Thursday and then will meet again for a single game on Saturday beginning at Noon.

NOTES: Hunt started the day tied for second place in the Big East with seven home runs, but moved ahead of Rutgers' Frank Meade (eight homers) ... The Wildcats were 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts in the game, with Rosati stealing two bases, and Molloy, Griffith and Mirsky each swiping one bag.