PHILADELPHIA PA. -- In a contest that featured two sterling pitching performances, host Villanova out-dueled Butler, 2-1, to take the final game of a three-game BIG EAST series on Sunday, April 13.  The win gave the Wildcats the series' edge, two games to one.

Butler's Kristen Gutierrez and Villanova's Kate Poppe squared off in the circle for the second time in the series, and Poppe claimed her second series' win.  The Wildcats' righthander, who tossed a no-hitter in the series' opener, allowed just one run on three hits in the series' finale.  She recorded 11 strikeouts, while walking four.

Gutierrez didn't give any ground in the showdown.  She surrendered two runs on four hits and allowed only two base runners in five of her six innings in the circle.  She finished with four strikeouts and two walks.

Butler jumped in front in the game with a single run off of Poppe in the top of the first inning.  Brandyce Sallee started the inning with a walk and scored one out later on a double to left-center field by Alex Kotter.  The run-scoring shot was Butler's first hit in more than seven innings against Poppe.

Villanova answered with two runs on three hits and a walk in the bottom of the second inning.  Both runs were scored with two outs.

Kotter had two of Butler's three hits in the game.  Sophomore Krosley Ogden recorded the Bulldogs' other hit.

Gutierrez, who had won six consecutive games heading into the weekend, fell to 11-10 on the season, while Poppe improved to 9-17.

Butler (17-23, 5-6 BIG EAST) will return home to hos a non-conference doubleheader against Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday, April 15.  The first game of the twinbill at the Butler Softball Field will start at 3 p.m.