WASHINGTON— Second-seeded Dayton rode a strong pitching performance by Manda Cash and scored two runs in a big fifth inning to edge Saint Louis 2-1 in the consolation bracket of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Athletic Complex. The game was suspended Friday night due to darkness after five complete innings and resumed Saturday morning.

The Flyers’ (27-20-1) win sets up a showdown with top-seeded Fordham in the consolation bracket semifinal Saturday at 1:00 pm.

Cash (11-9) controlled the plate, striking out 10 Billiken batters. She threw a four-hit complete game, allowing one unearned run and two walks. Saint Louis’ Brianna Lore (13-15) had her own strong game in the circle, allowing seven hits while striking out three. Both of the Dayton runs were unearned.

SLU scored its run first, a third-inning tally off a centerfield single by Alex Nickel that drove in Buckles. Dayton responded two innings later, first with a sacrifice fly by Krista Gustafson that drove in Kayla Haberstich. A Katie Ryan single to right then plated Gabrielle Snyder.  A series of errors by both teams in the scoring innings meant all three runs, which were all scored before the game was suspended, were unearned.

Saint Louis had baserunners on with a chance to tie the game in the sixth and seventh innings on Saturday morning, but could not push any of them across, leaving three runners stranded in the two final innings.

Kyle Davidson led the Flyers with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while Gustafson and Ryan each had an RBI. Nickel and Allie MacFarlane each were 2-for-3 at the plate with Nickel tallying the lone RBI.

Saint Louis closed its season at 25-26.