Box Score NEWARK, Del. – Pinch hitter Julie Smith hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh to give Villanova a 7-6 victory over the Norfolk State softball team Sunday during the final day of the Delaware Spring Invitational at the Delaware Softball Stadium.

The loss stung for the Spartans after they rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game but left the bases loaded. Villanova (10-8), on the other hand, loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh thanks to a walk and a pair of errors on the Spartans on sacrifice bunt attempts. Smith lined one into center in the next at bat to end the game.

NSU (7-15) got on the board first with two runs in the first. Sophomore Haley Ward, who hit 2-for-5 with a run and RBI in the game, doubled with one out and moved to third on an error on the Wildcats. Junior Melina Valles singled into center field to score the first run, and senior Marjorie Pettitt lined one through the left side of the infield to plate another.

The Spartans, though, left the bases loaded, as both teams left 11 runners on base for the game.

Villanova answered right back with five in the bottom of the first. A fielding error with the bases loaded scored two runs, and then two more miscues by the Spartans on the same play scored two more. Taylor Olafson hit an RBI single to cap the scoring in the first inning.

NSU finished with six errors in the game.

Pettitt hit an RBI single in the third, but Villanova made it 6-3 in the fifth on an RBI groundout. Ward's RBI single to right in the sixth cut the deficit to two, and then the Spartans tied it up in the seventh.

Valles singled and Pettitt walked before junior Kathy Cortez singled to center to score pinch runner Chelsea Davis. Freshman Whitney Wiliams followed with another RBI single, but then after NSU loaded the bases again with two outs, Ward popped up to short to end the rally.

Sophomore Liz Riley (2-6) suffered the loss after pitching all 6-plus innings and giving up seven runs, three earned, on eight hits with five walks.

Valles finished 3-for-3 with a run and RBI, while Pettitt and Cortez each finished with two hits.

The Spartans begin conference play next weekend at Coppin State beginning with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday.