The SLU Billikens had to win twice on Friday to advance to the A-10 championship on Saturday. (Photo courtesy: SLU Athletics)

Nora Nichols
Staff Writer

BRONX, NY — After losing its Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament opener on Thursday, the Saint Louis University softball team came into Friday knowing it had to win two elimination games if it was going to have any chance at winning the league championship.

And throughout lots of adversity, including tough opponents, defensive mistakes of their own, and constant rain, Saint Louis got the job done.

The No. 2 seed Billikens defeated UMass, 5-3, and then Loyola-Chicago, 7-6, to advance to the tournament’s championship round, where the Billikens will play top-seeded Dayton.

SLU will face a similar test on Saturday. The Billikens will have to defeat Dayton twice to win its first Atlantic 10 conference championship ever.

This is the third time Saint Louis has advanced to the championship round. The Billikens lost the championship game in 2007 and 2014.

No. 2 SLU 5, No. 5 UMass 3

NCAA Softball	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Massachusetts	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	7	1
Saint Louis	0	1	4	0	0	0	X	5	6	2

WP: Isabel Royle – SLU (14-6) LP: Natalee Horton – UMass (7-13)

SLU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Cami Newbanks led off with a single, moved to second on a Chloe Rhine sacrifice, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Abby Mallo’s sacrifice fly.

The Billikens made it 5-0 with a four-run third inning. Natalie Sullivan drew a two-out walk, stole second and scored on Jane Kaniecki’s single. Kelsey Etling followed with a single, and Kaniecki scored on a throwing error by the UMass right fielder. After Newbanks walked, Rhine delivered a two-run double.

UMass scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh, but Isabel Royle stranded three runners in the sixth and two in the seventh to lock down the win.

No. 2 SLU 7, No. 3 Loyola-Chicago 6

NCAA Softball	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Loyola-Chicago	0	0	0	2	3	0	1	6	10	0
Saint Louis	1	0	1	0	4	1	X	7	7	3

WP: Taylor Hochman – SLU (15-10) LP: Andie Broniewicz – LC (11-9) SV: Isabel Royle – SLU (1)

Saint Louis grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Leadoff batter Abby Ulsas walked and went to second on Sullivan’s bunt single, and both runners advanced on Kaniecki’s groundout. Ulsas scored on Etling’s groundout.

The Billikens made it 2-0 in the third as Sullivan singled and scored on Kaniecki’s double.

Loyola-Chicago pulled even in the fourth and went on top 5-2 with a three-run fifth.

SLU regained the lead in its half of the fifth, answering with four runs. Kendall Johnson drew a leadoff walk, and pinch-runner Karsen Jany scooted to second on a single by Ulsas.

With one out, Kaniecki smacked an RBI single that plated Jany, and with two away, Newbanks cranked her eighth home run of the season, a three-run blast that put the Billikens in front 6-5.

Loyola loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Royle came on for starter Taylor Hochman and recorded the final out.

The Billikens scored what proved to be an important insurance tally in the bottom of the frame. After two were out, Ulsas walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Sullivan’s double to make it 7-5.

The Ramblers again loaded the bases in the seventh, this time with nobody out. Royle fanned the next two batters, issued a walk that narrowed the SLU lead to 7-6, and notched the final out on a ground ball.

First pitch for the first game of the day on Saturday will be at 11 a.m. If SLU wins and a second game is necessary, it will begin 30 minutes after the first game concludes.

SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS 2024 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Time	At	Opponent	Location
May 11, 2024 (Saturday)	11 am	Atlantic 10 Championship	#1 Dayton	Bronx, N.Y. (Bahoshy Field)
May 11, 2024 (Saturday)	TBA, if necessary	Atlantic 10 Championship	#1 Dayton	Bronx, N.Y. (Bahoshy Field)