After getting just two runs of support in his first two starts in the 2016 season, Stetson junior Mitchell Jordan was not about to let an early four-run cushion go to waste on Friday night at Melching Field.

Jordan pitched seven dominant innings against Villanova (2-7) allowing just two hits while tying his career-high with nine strikeouts in leading the Hatters (5-5) to a 5-1 victory over the Wildcats to close the first day of play in the Westin Lake Mary Stetson Invitational.

Illinois defeated Central Michigan 9-4 in the first game of the day.

Jordan (1-2) got all the support he really needed on the fifth pitch of the game when senior Cory Reid blasted his first home run of the year off Wildcats starting pitcher Hunter Schryver (0-2). The Hatters made sure this time that would not be the only run Jordan would get by scoring three times in the third and once again in the fifth.

“It is fun pitching when the guys are swinging hot bats,” Jordan said. “It lets me be more aggressive in the zone. I worked well with Austin and hit my spots and the defense made some great played behind me.”

Hatters coach Pete Dunn said getting that early run was important, but adding to it was even more important.

“Mitchell had a great night,” Dunn said. “I have never been a pitcher, but it helps when you are not out there fighting for your life every inning. The game was never out of reach, but we did get him a run early, and then we built on it, which we were not able to do the first two times he went out. Obviously, that was the best game he has pitched this year.”

Jordan allowed just three base runners through the first six innings. Villanova's Adam Goss accounted for two of those with a single in the second and a walk in the fourth. The only time Villanova really ever threatened to score was in that fourth inning when Todd Czinege delivered a one-out double, but Jordan got a strikeout and a fly ball to get out of the inning.

The Hatters were able build on the early lead that Reid provided by stringing together four singles with a walk in the third inning. Kirk Sidwell, Jack Machonis and Matt Morales all had run producing singles in the inning.

Stetson's final run came in the fifth inning on a one-out triple by Austin Hale to drive in Machonis, who had reached on an infield hit, one of three in the game for the senior.

“That is two games in a row that we have gotten double-figure hits, and that is encouraging,” Dunn said. “John Fussell had three hits again tonight and Hale had a couple of hits, including a hit and run triple. Machonis had three hits, and we need to get some offense out of him. We talk about it with guys who can bunt, when they are scuffling, they have to do whatever it takes to get on base.”

Fussell, who has hit safely in nine of 10 games this year, raised his season average to .405 with his three hits Friday night. The only negative on the night for the senior was a hard hit into the outfield wall on the ball hit by Czinege in the fourth.

“I have got to get to the wall and find the ball,” Fussell said. “As soon as I put my glove up, I hit the wall. I am just happy that I didn't get hurt. I have to learn from it and do better the next time.”

At the plate, the senior can't do much better.

“They are finding holes for me,” Fussell said. “I have just been trying to do the same thing every time, staying with my approach. I am happy that things are starting to come around for the team. We now have two nice wins in a row and we have to keep it going. I think tonight was our best performance, as a unit, so far this year.”

Villanova was able to plate its only run in the eighth inning after Jordan's departure. Donovan May and Eric Lowe delivered back-to-back one out singles off freshman Jack Gonzalez, and May was able to score on a sacrifice fly by Czinege.

The Hatters will square off with a talented Illinois team on Saturday night to close out the second day of the tournament. The Illini had a 50-win season in 2015 and has a talented club again this year.

“Illinois has an awfully solid ball club,” Dunn said. “They had a great year last year and, even though they lost some guys, they have some really talented young players. We will have our hands full. We have to come out, swing the bats and pitch well, and try to get our game going.”

The game against Illinois is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start Saturday night. The Villanova vs. Central Michigan game is scheduled to start the day with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.