WASHINGTON -- The third-seeded Fordham Rams two-run fifth inning was the difference maker in the Rams 6-5 defeat of the second-seeded Saint Louis Billikens. The Rams secure a spot in the Atlantic 10 Softball Championship semifinals at 12 p.m. on Friday.  

Down to an early two-run deficit, Sydney Wells connected for a two-run blast to knot the game at two. Saint Louis responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. The Billikens scored on a single by Jane Kaniecki and hit-by-pitch on Ashley Marietta.  

The Rams tied it again in the top of the fourth. Nicki Sudall doubled in Neleh Nogay and Mallory McClellan to knot it at four. Saint Louis quickly responded in the bottom half of the frame on a sacrifice fly from Kaniecki. Kaniecki drove in Abby Ulsas to go ahead by one. 

Fordham rallied once more and held onto the lead for the win. McClellan doubled in Kate McGuire to tie it at five. Nogay later followed with an extra-base hit to score Allie Clark for the decisive run.  

The Rams connected for 14 hits behind three-hit performances from Nogay and McClellan. Wells, Sudall and Clark added two hits each.  

Kaniecki drove in a pair of runs for the Billikens and went 1 for 2 at the plate. Kendall Johnson and Allie Marietta each scored a run for Saint Louis.  

Emilee Watkins pitched 2 1/3 innings for the Rams and was tagged for four runs, two earned, on four hits. She tallied two strikeouts and one walk. Elizabeth Gaisior pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief and held Saint Louis to one run on two hits with three strikeouts.  

Saint Louis’ Taylor Hochman allowed five runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. She struck out one and walked one batter. Isabel Royle pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief and was tagged for one run on three hits. Royle struck out two and walked two batters.  

Fordham will meet the top-seeded Dayton Flyers in the semifinal. Saint Louis faces elimination at 2:30 p.m. on Friday against the winner of No. 4 George Washington and No. 5 Saint Joseph’s.