TicketsMay 7, 2006
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa.---Villanova got eight strong innings from Josh Eidell and four runs against Cincinnati's bullpen as the Wildcats clinched the BIG EAST weekend series between the schools by a score of 5-2 on Sunday afternoon. The win is a big one for the Wildcats in their battle for a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament as Nova improves to 26-21 and 8-12 in conference play. Cincinnati is 30-18, 11-10 BIG EAST.
Trailing 1-0 entering the fifth inning, the Bearcats rode a two-run homer by LaFringe Hayes into the lead for the first time. Villanova would counter with a pair in the last of the inning, then put the game out of reach with two more in the sixth.
Eidell, just a freshman, was outstanding for the Wildcats, limiting Cincinnati to two runs on six hits, while striking out six in his eight innings. He improves to 2-3 with the win. Gus Guida worked the ninth for his third save of the year.
Villanova got on the board first in the third inning as back-to-back walks and a double steal put Wildcat runners on second and third with no one out. Lead-off hitter Ryan Arcadia then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to stake the home team to a 1-0 lead. Cincinnati countered in the fifth with a lead-off walk by Brian Szarmach and two outs later, Hayes pulled his second homer of the year over the right field wall to put the Bearcats in front.
In the fifth, with Adam Calez on the mound, Villanova got a looping RBI single by Jeremy Hunt and a Joe Rosati sacrifice fly to take the 3-2 lead. An inning later, Arcardia tallied his second RBI of the day with a double to left and after stealing third, Arcadia scored on a Craig Mirsky RBI single.
Villanova, which was limited to just five hits by six Cincinnati pitchers didn't have a player with more than one. Mark Muscenti had two of UC's six hits, while Hayes drove in both of the runs with his long ball.
Cincinnati will now close the 2006 season with eight straight home games. UC hosts Ball State on Wednesday (May 10) at 6:30 p.m., with West Virginia coming to town next weekend for a three-game set.