ST. LOUIS – The top-seeded Loyola Chicago Ramblers staved off elimination against No. 5 seed Saint Joseph’s on Friday, defeating the Hawks 6-2 at the Betterment Atlantic 10 Softball Championship.

Loyola Chicago got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the second inning, expanding the lead to 4-0 in the third inning on freshman Anna Kiel’s three-RBI double. The Ramblers tacked on two runs in the fifth, but Saint Joseph’s freshman Elyssa Hasapis answered with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. The rally ended there, as Kiel got through the seventh inning unscathed to seal the win for Loyola Chicago.

Kiel shined at the plate and on the mound, allowing two earned runs and four hits with no walks in a seven-inning complete game. The Ramblers outhit Saint Joseph’s 7-4, also committing no errors to the Hawks’ two.

The Ramblers will play another elimination game at 3 p.m. CT against No. 3 seed Dayton, the winner earning a spot in the championship game against Fordham at Billiken Sports Center.