Box Score THE BASICS:

RESULT: Hartford 8, Villanova 0
LOCATION: Villanova Ballpark (Plymouth Meeting, Penn.)
RECORDS: Hartford (13-5, 2-1 AE); Villanova (8-16, 0-0 Big East)

THE LEAD:
An all-around solid effort from the Hartford baseball team led the Hawks to a sound 8-0 win on the road over Villanova on Friday afternoon. David Drouin and Brian Murphy combined to shut out the Wildcats, allowing just three hits in the contest.

Nick Campana led the way with three hits and two runs driven in, while Ben Bengtson chipped in three RBIs and Erik Ostberg added two base hits and two RBIs.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Hawks picked up right where they left off from yesterday's contest, spotting four runs for Drouin before Villanova even got a chance to bat. A double by David MacKinnon was followed by an RBI single from Chris DelDebbio to make it 1-0. Ostberg ripped an RBI double down the left field line, and Bengtson crushed a two-run bomb to get Hartford out to an early 4-0 lead.
• Hartford got right back at it in the second inning, grabbing another run on an RBI single from Ostberg after MacKinnon singled and Aaron Wilson walked.
• Adding to the lead were the Hawks in the fourth, extending their advantage to 8-0. Bengtson reached on a fielder's choice to pick up another RBI and push the lead to 6-0 after MacKinnon walked and Ashton Bardzell singled. TJ Ward walked as well, and that lead to a two-run single from Campana to push across two more runs, the Hawks now in control up 8-0.
• While the Hawks were clicking on offense, Drouin was getting it done on the mound. Through five innings, the redshirt sophomore completely shut down the Wildcats, holding them to one hit while striking out three.
• Drouin was replaced by Murphy in the sixth, and Murphy made quick work of the Wildcats, setting them down 1-2-3. After getting caught in a two-out jam with two men on, Murphy forced a fly out to end the seventh with the Hawks still ahead 8-0. The senior wound up going the final four innings, holding Villanova scoreless and striking out two.
• The Wildcats tried to battle back in the ninth, getting a double and a walk to put two men on to start the frame, but a double play and a fielder's choice quickly ended the inning, and the Hawks rose victorious again by a final score of 8-0.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• With the win today, the Hawks are now in the midst of their second five-game winning streak of the season.
• The four-run first inning for the Hawks was the most they scored in the opening frame since putting up four against UMBC on March 3, 2014.
• Eleven different Hawks secured at least one hit in the lineup today, with Cam Belliveau, Chris Sullivan, and Bardzell coming on as replacements and collecting hits in the middle innings.

NEXT UP:
The Hawks look to sweep the series when they face Villanova in the final game of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1:15 p.m. RHP Kyle Gauthier takes the mound in the rubber match for Hartford. Live stats will be available on HartfordHawks.com, and be sure to check out @HartfordBASE on Twitter for in-game updates and for news about the program.