Box Score
 
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. — Junior Tom D'Alessandro was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, the latter of which plated the winning run in the seventh inning, and sophomore Nick Busto improved to 2-0 with the baseball team's 3-2 victory over Villanova on Friday. It was the Big Red's fifth consecutive win, kicking off a three-game set.
 
Cornell (9-5) led throughout, then senior Houston Hawley tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first save of the season. The Big Red was outhit, 7-6, but got out of several jams. Villanova stranded 11 runners on base, including eight in scoring position.
 
The Big Red scored the game's first run in the third inning. Brenton Peters worked a lead-off walk, then advance to second on Collin McGee's sacrifice bunt. D'Alessandro then drove in Peters with a two-out double to right.
 
Cornell added an unearned run in the fourth. Senior Spenser Souza led off with a single to first. He then stole second and would later score on a throwing error by the catcher.
 
After the Wildcats cut their deficit to one, McGee scored the winning run in the seventh. He was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a passed ball, then moved up to third on a groundout. D'Alessandro then popped a single through the right side for his second RBI of the game.
 
Meanwhile, Busto surrendered just two runs in six-plus innings of work. All four of his starts this season have been quality starts. Senior Mike Kazley and freshman Matt Horton worked through the seventh and eight innings before handing off to Hawley for an uneventful ninth.
 
The second game of the series is set for 1:15 p.m. Saturday.