March 28, 2007

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA - Villanova scored three times in the first inning and added at least one run in each of the next five innings on the way to a 16-2 win over visiting New Jersey Institute of Technology in baseball action Wednesday afternoon.

The Wildcats (10-9) took advantage of two balks and a two-out error to get three runs (two unearned) in the first inning. Villanova followed that up with at least one run in every inning through the sixth to finish with 16 runs on 17 hits--all singles.

The Highlanders plated one run in the second inning and one in the fourth, while collecting nine hits overall. 1B Rob Pietrocola's double leading off the NJIT fourth was the only extra-base hit for either team.

Six different Villanova players had two hits apiece and five others had one hit each. Starting middle infielders SS Derek Shunk and 2B Ryan Arcadia each finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI. Arcadia, the leadoff man, stole two bases and scored three times, while Shunk scored twice.

For NJIT, CF Craig Binkiewicz, RF Tom Farina and 1B Rob Pietrocola each accounted for two hits. Farina and freshman SS Miguel Lugo had the NJIT runs batted in.

Farina, a sophomore making his second start and fifth appearance of the season, was 2-for-3, with a walk. Pietrocola was also 2-for-3, while Binkiewicz was 2-for-4..

Lugo drove home 3B Mike Turner with a single for NJIT's first run in the second inning and in the fourth, Farina singled to score Pietrocola, who had led off with his double.

Sophomore LHP Matt Melody started and took the loss for the Highlanders. He worked three innings and allowed five hits and just one earned run, while striking out five and walking two.

Junior RHP Chuck Leppo and freshman RHP Evan Bigler, the Highlanders' third and fourth pitchers, respectively, were effective. Leppo blanked the Wildcats on a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings and Bigler pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Villanova starter Ryan Wendler, a junior right-hander, scattered eight hits over the first five innings, gaining credit for his first win of the season. He allowed both NJIT runs and finished with four strikeouts and three walks.

The Highlanders are off Thursday, returning to action on Friday for a 5 pm game at UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County). NJIT is slated to play three games at UMBC, with Friday's game followed by single games on Saturday and Sunday, with first pitch slated for 1 pm the last two days.