BRONX, N.Y. – Casey Sutherland spun an eight-inning shutout gem from the mound to lead No. 2 Davidson to a 2-0 win over No. 7 Saint Louis in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship Wednesday at Fordham’s Houlihan Park.

The Wildcats (27-20) advance to face No. 3 Dayton at 10:00 am Thursday. The Billikens (25-29) fall into the consolation bracket and will play No. 6 Rhode Island at 8:30 pm Wednesday in an elimination game.

Sutherland (8-1) earned the win, allowing six hits and no runs with seven strikeouts and a walk in the eight innings of work. Gabe Levy got his ninth save of the year for throwing an inning of hitless ball.

Davidson scored its first run on a bases-loaded walk to Max Bazin that scored Justin Lebek in the fourth. Eric Jones doubled the ‘Cats score with a solo home run, the first round-tripper of the championship to right field. Saint Louis had a runner on in four of the next five innings, but the Davidson pitching and defense left them stranded.

Jones and Ruben Fontes each had a pair of hits for the Wildcats. Shane Benes went 2-for-4 to lead the Billikens.

Jackson Wark (3-5) took the loss for SLU, giving up two runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.