The following article was first published by Villanova Athletics – Newcomers Shine as Villanova Takes Down Rice in Season Opener
PONCE, P.R. – A variety of newcomers made an immediate impact in their first game in the Blue and White as the Villanova University baseball team defeated Rice, 10-6, on Friday night (Feb. 14) in the Puerto Rico Challenge at Francisco Montaner Stadium.
Freshman Brayden Leonard posted his first career home run, John Freitag hit a go-ahead single in the ninth, and graduate transfer Bobby Olsen was dominant on the mound, posting seven strikeouts while holding the Owls (0-1) to one run and three hits through six innings.
What a debut for Brayden Leonard!
The true freshman leads off the seventh with Villanova's first homer of the year!
T7 | VU – 5, RICE – 1#GoNova pic.twitter.com/5VF436zuPX
— Villanova Baseball (@VUBaseball) February 15, 2025
Olsen was nearly flawless in the first five frames, yielding only one hit and no runs while recording six of his seven strikeouts. He was aided by a pair of diving putouts at second base by Leonard.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ (1-0) offense put runners in scoring position in each of the first five innings but failed to break the scoreless tie.
In the top of the sixth, the Villanova offense came alive with a two-out rally. Graduate transfer Tyler Shaw got on base with a single, stole second base, then scored on a throwing error after Austin Lemon hit an infield single. A pair of RBI singles by Jason Neff and Aidan Barry ballooned the lead to three. Then, Collin Quintano walked with the bases loaded, bringing the Wildcat advantage to 4-0.
Image Credit: PR Baseball Challenge
Rice got one run back in the bottom of the sixth, cutting Villanova’s lead to 4-1. However, Leonard answered in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run, the first of his career.
Bobby Finn replaced Olsen in the bottom of the seventh. Rice opened a rally with four runs on three hits, tying the game at five. Alec Sachais closed out the inning for the Wildcats.
After a scoreless eighth frame for Villanova, Rice used a pair of hits to take its first lead of the game. The Wildcats trailed, 6-5, entering the ninth.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the ninth inning, Barry grounded out to tie the game at six. Then, Freitag pinch hit in the DH spot, driving a single into left field to score two runs and give the ‘Cats an 8-6 lead.
ICE IN HIS VEINS ❄️
Freshman John Freitag laces a clutch pinch-hit 2-RBI single to give Villanova the lead!
T9 | VU – 8, RICE – 6#GoNova pic.twitter.com/XiTBO3Glcj
— Villanova Baseball (@VUBaseball) February 15, 2025
Three straight walks scored another run for VU, and Lemon reached on another error to put the Blue and White ahead, 10-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, Sachais struck out the first two batters he faced. After giving up a walk and a base hit with two outs, Sachais was replaced by Jake Francis, who picked up the final out and sealed the 10-6 win for the Wildcats.
Sachais (1-0) picked up the season-opening win, while Rice’s Garrett Stratton was credited with the loss. Francis earned the save, the first of his career.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will face No. 2-ranked Virginia (0-1) on Saturday night (Feb. 15) at Francisco Montaner Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET/8 p.m. AST and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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