BRONX, NY -- No. 3 Loyola Chicago used a great performance in the circle from Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year and big hits by the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Sydney Barnett and Haley Wallace to defeat No. 2 Saint Louis, 8-4 and advance to the Atlantic 10 Semifinals. 

After both starting pitchers, Pepkowski and the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Isabel Royle of Saint Louis were dealing through two innings, Loyola Chicago broke out in the third inning, all with two outs.

With two outs and no one on, Teagan Sopczak singled, Liz Sedakis walked and after a bases loaded walk brought home the games first run, Wallace blasted a double to the left centerfield fence to give Loyola a 3-0 lead. The Ramblers got one more on a wild pitch to take a 4-0 lead, 

Loyola would add two in the fourth off a Sopczak fielders choice and a Wallace hit by pitch to take a 6-1 lead. Saint Louis got on the board in the bottom half as a walk and a Cami Newbankd double set the table for a wild pitch to put the Billikens on the board.

Barnett left the ballpark for a two run homer to give Loyola an 8-4 lead in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Saint Louis' Chloe Rhine blasted a three run shot to cut the deficit to four but Saint Louis would get no more and fall 8-4.

Ava Bieneman was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk n the leadoff spot for the Ramblers while Rhine had two hits for the Billikens.

Pepkowski got the win for the Ramblers, pitching five innings and striking out six, while only allowing three hits and one run. Loyola Chicago advances to face No. 1 Dayton tomorrow at noon while Saint Louis will play the winner of tonight's UMass/Saint Joseph's game tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.