LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball finished the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite with a 2-3 record overall, as the Wildcats dropped a Sunday matinee against Villanova on the end of an 8-1 setback at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
 
Villanova (3-2) struck first with a three-run inning in the top of the opening frame, with the Wildcats using a two-out, solo home run to left center from left fielder Caroline Jones to move ahead, 1-0. Ryan Henry later added a two-run double that saw Delaney Switzer and Julia Dacosta score on the play, advancing the Villanova leads at 3-0.
 
Bethune-Cookman (3-7) worked itself back into the game in the bottom of the second when senior first baseman Brianna Sanders registered her first home run of the year with a solo shot over the wall in left.
 
BCU trailed 3-1 heading into the top of the fourth inning.
 
It was in that frame that Villanova once again got to BCU starter Destiny Enriquez, as Angela Giampolo delivered a two-run scoring double. BCU shortstop Jacki Smith was able to make the stop of a ball hit sharply up the middle, but the throw to first was just a half-step late, allowing Olivia Laqua and Megan Ruiz to score with two outs.
 
Villanova went on to add a run in the sixth, as well as the Wildcats' second two-out, two-run homer in the seventh – this time from Laqua, to issue the final 8-1 score line.
 
On the day, seven of Villanova's eight runs in the game came with two outs.
 
BCU was limited to just three hits in the game, one coming from Sanders who finished the game 1-for-2 with her solo shot in the second.
 
The win went to Villanova's Paige Rauch (3-0) who worked a complete game in the circle, allowing just one run on three hits scattered, walking two and fanning six. The loss went to BCU's Enriquez (1-1), as the Norwalk, California junior threw four innings, gave up five runs, six hits, walked one and struck out three.
 
Bethune-Cookman is back in action for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic beginning Thursday, Feb. 20, as the Wildcats take on national powers Oregon and Kentucky, respectfully, in Palm Springs, California. The three-day event continues the following day when BCU battles Colorado State, continuing Saturday with games against Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State.
 
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