Box Score
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Villanova 4, Northwestern 3 Nelson W. Wolff Stadium San Antonio, Texas | Box Score 
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SAN ANTONIO -- Northwestern got another strong outing on the mound from senior Brandon Magallones and a four-hit performance from Scott Heelan at the plate, but the Wildcats fell to Villanova at the Irish Alamo Invitational Friday afternoon, 4-3.
Magallones allowed only two earned runs on six hits in seven solid innings on the bump in the tournament opener. The Manhattan, Ill., native struck out eight batters for the second consecutive start. He did not factor in the decision for the second week in a row, as well.
At the plate, fifth-year senior Scott Heelan accumulated four hits in five at-bats, including doubles in each of his first two plate appearances. The veteran backstop also scored two of Northwestern's three runs in the game.
Chicago's Big Ten Team had two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first after Grant Peikert singled and Heelan unleashed the first of the two extra-base hits. The Wildcats could not score, however, and Villanova took advantage in the top of the second. The other 'Cats loaded the bases with nobody out and scored on an RBI groundout before adding a second unearned tally with two away.
Heelan's second double set up Northwestern's first run in the bottom of the third. Reid Hunter drove in the first run of the day for his team with an RBI single to right field. After three innings at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium, Villanova led 2-1.
Pitching reigned supreme through the middle-third of the game before each team dented the scoreboard in the seventh. Villanova pushed across its tally on a two-out triple to take a 3-1 lead, but Northwestern was poised to answer in its half of the frame. Peikert drew a base on balls ahead of Heelan who singled up the middle. Peikert eventually scored on a passed ball to pull the 'Cats to within one, 3-2.
Following walks to Hunter and Joe Hoscheit, pinch hitter Luke Dauch was called upon with the bases loaded. The senior delivered a single up the middle that brought Heelan home and knotted the game at three runs apiece.
Villanova pushed across the game-winning run in the top of the ninth. Eric Lowe was hit by a pitch to start the inning and he moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. Kevin Jewitt drove Lowe in with a double to right-center field off NU's Pete Hofman.
In four games this season, the Wildcats have lost three by a single run. Two of those losses came with the opposition scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning.
Northwestern returns to the diamond this evening against Incarnate Word at 6:30 p.m. Junior Reed Mason is expected to start the game for the Purple and White.
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