CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BRACKET | BOX SCORE | PHOTOS | HIGHLIGHTS

BRONX, N.Y., - Behind a two-hit gem from ace Meg Colleran, top-seeded Massachusetts defeated fifth-seeded Saint Louis, 8-0 in five innings, in Friday’s first game of the 2018 Atlantic 10 Championship at Bahoshy Field on the campus of Fordham University.

Massachusetts (34-12) advances to face the winner of Friday’s second game between No. 2 Fordham and No. 6 George Washington. The Billikens (28-28) fall into the consolation bracket and will play No. 3 Dayton Friday evening in an elimination game.

Massachusetts took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Melissa Garcia reached first on an infield single to short, scoring Jena Cozza.
Leading 1-0, the Minutewomen tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second. Amy Smith led off the inning with a single to left center followed by Riley Gregorie’s walk. Cozza, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, cleared the bases with an RBI double in the gap to right center.

Kaycee Carbone expanded UMass’ lead to four with her solo home run to right center field. After back-to-back RBI singles from Kaitlyn Stavinoha and Hannah Bunker, a bases-loaded walk put the Minutewomen up seven. Another bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth pushed Massachusetts’ lead to eight.

Colleran started in the circle for UMass and picked up her 14th win of the year. Colleran retired her first 13 batters before giving up a single through the right side to Alyssa Chavez. It total, Colleran pitched five innings, walked none, and struck out three.