April 23, 2003

Final Stats

NORRISTOWN, PA. - On Wednesday, April 23rd, at Latshaw-McCarthy Field in Norristown, Pa., the Villanova baseball team saw its rally from a four-run eighth inning deficit come up just short as the Wildcats were defeated by Saint Joseph's by the score of 8-7. With the loss, the `Cats fell to 9-25 overall on the year. The Hawks improved to 13-23 with the win, and tied the season series with Villanova at one game apiece.

The Wildcats jumped on Saint Joseph's starter Erik Holman in the top of the first inning, scoring twice to take an early 2-0 lead. Junior third baseman Danny Poydenis gave the `Cats their first lead with an RBI double, and he came around to score later in the inning on an error to give Villanova a 2-0 advantage.

After cruising through the first inning, Wildcat starter Jake Wolff got into trouble in the second. Wolff walked four batters in the inning and surrendered six runs on four hits before giving way to senior right-hander John Yeager. The six-run inning gave the Hawks a 6-2 lead after two full innings.

Villanova scored once in the third to trim the SJU lead to 6-3, but saw the Hawks get the run back in the fourth to regain a four-run advantage at 7-3.

Down 8-4 after seven innings, the Wildcats began to rally. In the eighth, sophomore second baseman Mark Cardillo lined an RBI single to right-center to cut the lead to 8-5. Shortstop Brian Trotta, who went to third on the Cardillo single, would come around to score later in the frame on a passed ball to make it a 8-6 game after seven innings.

In the ninth inning, Hawk reliever Eric Vardjan walked Poydenis to begin the inning and was promptly replaced by reliever Michael Walls. With two outs and Poydenis on second, designated hitter Mitch Mitchell singled through the right side to score Poydenis to cut the Saint Joseph's lead to 8-7. The `Cats had runners at first and second with Trotta coming to the plate, but Walls struck Trotta out to end the ballgame with the Hawks emerging, 8-7.

Holman (2-5) got the win for SJU, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings, walking four and striking out four. Walls pitched the ninth to earn his second save. For Villanova, Wolff took the loss to fall to 0-2.

At the plate for the Wildcats, Graziano went two-for-four with two runs scored and a stolen base, Poydenis went two-for-four with two runs, a double and one RBI, and Cardillo went two-for-four with two RBI.

For the Hawks, Nick Baldasari went three-for-four with a double and two RBI.

Villanova will get back into action on Thursday, traveling to Atlantic City, N.J., for an exhibition game against the Atlantic City Surf at 4:00 p.m., at the Sandcastle.