Game One - Villanova
Game Two - Eastern Tennessee State

Tampa, FL – The Wagner softball team was held scoreless on day two of the South Florida Invitational, falling to Villanova, 7-0, before being shutout 12-0 by Eastern Tennessee State in the matinee game.

In the morning game, head coach Glen Payne elected to start freshman Samantha Bedker (Phoenix, AZ / Sandra Day O'Connor) in her sixth seventh appearance of the year. The Wildcats wasted no time getting things going with their bats though, scoring four runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning to put the Green & White down 4-0 early in the contest.

To start the bottom of the second, senior Ashley Olsen (Staten Island, NY / Notre Dame Academy) blasted a one-out double to center field to record her first hit of the year and give the Seahawks a runner in scoring position. Sophomore catcher MacKenzie Alfaro (Riverside, CA / Riverside) followed Olsen earning a base on balls, putting two runners on with one out. The Wildcats starting pitcher Caitlyn Delahaba eliminated any possible Wagner threat, getting freshman Cara Donovan (Centreville, VA / Centreville) to pop out before striking out senior Vanessa Lenart (Fontana, CA / Henry J. Kaiser HS) to end the inning with her squad still in the 4-0 lead.

Sophomore Kristen Matteoni (Reno, NV / Galena) extended her hit streak to three games in the top of the third inning, lacing a single into center field, but wouldn't get a chance to cross the plate, as Delahaba kept the shutout intact heading into bottom half of the third.

With back-to-back hits to start the third inning by the Wildcats, Payne brought in sophomore Ashley Rollins (Fairfax, VA / Fairfax) for relief of Bedker. Villanova brought home two in the inning though, scoring on a fielder's choice a defensive error to extend its lead to 6-0.

Wagner's best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fourth inning after freshman Jessica Albarran (Corona, CA / Eleanor Roosevelt) led off with a single to center, before Olsen ripped her second double of the day, advancing Albarran to third with no outs. Delahaba settled down after the back-to-back knocks, striking out the next three Seahawks to preserve her shutout.

The Wildcats scored their seventh run in the bottom of the fourth inning after Rollins gave up a walk, which transitioned into a run on an infield hit.

Sophomore Kaity Sitzman came in for Delahaba to start the fifth inning, and allowed just one hit in the final three innings to cap off Villanova's eighth straight win, and 10^th on the year with a 7-0 victory. The loss kept the Seahawks winless, as they moved to 0-8 on the year.

Bedker was credited with the loss, giving up six runs on six hits. Rollins finished the game going four innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three for the Seahawks.

The Green & White took the field for their afternoon game looking to get out of their scoreless slump against Eastern Tennessee State from the Atlantic Sun Conference. Coach Payne gave the nod to freshman Olivia Zwick (Surrey, Canada / Earl Marriot) to take the circle against the Buccaneers.

The visiting Bucs jumped out to an early lead on the Canadian native, taking Zwick for six runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. In that time, the first-year righty struck out one and walked three, being credited for just two earned runs. Rollins entered the game in relief of Zwick to wrap up the top of the second with her team down 6-0.

Offensively, Wagner recorded its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third inning when Matteoni continued lengthened her hit streak to four games with a two-out infield single. The second-year wouldn't advance any further though, as the Bucs Whitney Leon got sophomore Taylor Rauscher (Peoria, AZ / Sunrise Mountain) to pop up to end the inning.

The Bucs added five more runs in the fourth inning, and one in the fifth, widening their lead to 12-0. Rollins and Bedker combined for 3.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs, facing 24 batters.

Matteoni's lone single in the third inning would be the only hit the team would record, as Leon pitched a complete game, one-hitter, to defeat the Seahawks 12-0 in five innings. The loss moves the Green & White to 0-9, while the Buccaneers improve to 7-14 with the win.

The Seahawks will be back in action on Sunday, March 11, when they take on Cleveland State in their last game of the USF Under Armour Invitational. That contest is schedule for a 9:00 a.m. start.