May 16, 1999

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--- In its last ever home Big East series on May 14-15, the Providence College baseball team swept a three-game series from the Villanova baseball team. The Friars defeated the Wildcats by the scores of 4-3 and 9-8 in ten innings on Friday, May 14. One day later, in its home finale on Saturday, May 15, Providence beat Villanova 7-4. With the three losses, the Wildcats end the 1999 season with a 27-26-1 final overall record and a 11-15 mark in Big East Conference play. Providence, whose baseball history began in 1921, ends its final regular season with a 43-13 overall record and a 18-8 mark in the Big East.

In game one on Friday, the Friars struck first as right fielder Neil McCarthy hit a first inning grand slam off of Wildcat starter Will Henry to take a 4-0 lead. In the third inning, Villanova trimmed the Providence lead to 4-1 as center fielder Mike Perate singled home third baseman Brendan Mannix, who had led off the inning with a double. One inning later, designated hitter Nick Piantek hit his ninth home run of the season to close the gap to 4-3.

Providence starter Marc DesRoches shut down the Wildcats in the final three innings, however, to give the Friars a 4-3 victory. DesRoches pitched seven strong innings to improve to 12-1 on the season. He gave up only three runs on four hits, striking out nine and walking two. Henry took the loss for Villanova, despite pitching well over six innings of work. After yielding four runs on two hits in the first inning, he did not allow a another run and surrendered only five hits over the last five innings.

In game two, Villanova held a 5-1 lead before the Friars rallied with three runs in the third and four in the fourth to take a 8-5 advantage. For the second straight game, however, the Wildcats would rally. In the eighth inning, shortstop Pat Kane and leftfielder Dave Pizzini, each drew one-out walks. Second baseman Matt Longo then stepped up to the plate against relief pitcher Andrew Scott. Longo hit his ninth home run of the season over the right field fence to tie to game at 8-8.

With the bases loaded and one out in the tenth inning, Friars' second baseman Paul Costello drew a walk off of Villanova pitcher Brian Manning to give Providence a 9-8 victory. Scott got the victory on the mound for the Friars to improve to 5-2, while Manning took the loss for the Wildcats to fall to 3-2.

In the final game of the weekend on Saturday, Villanova attempted to rally with from a 7-2 deficit in the ninth inning. Piantek started the rally with an RBI single and was followed four batters later with an RBI fielder's choice by pinch hitter Mike Houser, to cut the lead to 7-4. The come back attempt was stopped short, however, as Providence starter Josh Burnham got Kane to hit into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Burnham (9-2) got the win for the Friars, giving up four runs on seven hits in nine innings, striking out four and walking three. Pitching a strong outing in his final collegiate start, Wildcat righthander Brian Buckingham took the loss to fall to 2-3. Buckingham pitched six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, striking out one and walking three.

Villanova senior centerfielder Chris Watson went a perfect two-for-two, with two stolen bases in the loss. Rightfielder Bill Brehm went one-for-three, with his first home run of the 1999 season.