WASHINGTON— No. 3 Massachusetts got a one-hit shutout from starting pitcher Meg Colleran, and pushed a parade of base runners home to defeat sixth-seeded George Washington 9-0 in five innings in the first round of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at GW’s Mount Vernon Athletic Complex.

Colleran (21-5) faced 17 batters and allowed just two base runners, Carlee Gray, who picked up the Colonials’ only hit, and Morgan Matetic, who was hit by a pitch. Colleran struck out two in the winning effort. Sarah Costlow (14-14) took the loss for GW.

UMass (25-22) will now face No. 2 Dayton Friday at 2:30 pm. George Washington (23-28) fell to the consolation bracket and faced No. 4 Saint Louis in an elimination game Thursday afternoon.

The Minutewomen’s big score came in the bottom of the first when Tara Klee belted a three-run blast over the scoreboard, plating Taylor Carbone and Jena Cozza. Klee led UMass with three RBI and a run scored. Cozza and Erin Stacevicz both had a 2-for-3 day at the plate for the Minutewomen, tallying five runs between them.

UMass scored two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a pair of GW errors. Lindsey Zenk poked a two-run single up the middle and both Cozza and Stacevicz both scored. The Minutewomen ended the game early with four fourth-inning runs. Four consecutive singles, a walk, a wild pitch and an error brought home Kaitlyn Stavinoha, Stacevicz, Cozza and pinch runner Dana Barclay. Colleran then closed out the top of the fifth to win the game.