PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – The Bulldogs scored a run in the top of the ninth inning and got back to the top of the order with two runners on, but the comeback charge would fall short on Saturday allowing the Villanova Wildcats to claim a 6-4 victory on their home diamond.
Tyler Arella would be credited with the win (2-2) and Cameron Mathes entered the game to record his second save of the year. On the other side, BU starter
Aaron Barokas was hit with the loss. He moves to 0-4 on the season.
Arella gave up three runs over six innings of action but would pitch well overall to get the win. He struck out four and didn't issue a single walk. The seventh inning went to Rivera and then Mathes would close the final two frames.
Butler went with Barokas at the start of the game and would lean on
Jon Vore for two outs before letting
Adrian Vega finish out the final three innings. Barokas struck out six over 4.1 innings of work and Vega would shine in relief allowing just one hit down the stretch.
The Butler offense featured
Scott Jones,
Ryan O'Halloran and
Billy Wurch recording two hits each. O'Halloran led the team with two runs scored while also adding an RBI. Additional RBI's on the day went to
Kollyn All and
Garret Gray.
Villanova struck first on Saturday with an RBI single to right, but the Bulldogs would take the lead in the fourth. Jones led off the frame with a single back up the middle of the field and he would advance to third after a single to right from
Aaron Steinhart.
O'Halloran scored Jones on a single to right for the first BU run of the day. Both O'Halloran and Steinhart would move up on the base paths after a passed ball and Steinhart would score soon after on a ground out from All.
Wurch got on base with two out and would break for second with O'Halloran at third. He got called out on the play, but O'Halloran would get home to score the third run of the day for the 'Dawgs.
The fifth inning told the story with Nova scoring five runs off six hits. Three RBI singles and a two-RBI double to left center would give the home team the lead near the midway point.
Butler made some noise in the ninth with Gray pushing a single through the left side of the infield to score O'Halloran but the game would end on a ground out to the pitcher allowing the 'Cats to hang onto their 6-4 victory.
These two teams will finish their three-game weekend series tomorrow. First pitch is set for 12 PM.
