WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Eastern Connecticut's Molly Rathbun (Hebron, CT) threw a stellar no-hitter to defeat Rivier College, 2-0, in the winner's bracket semifinal on Friday afternoon in the NCAA Regional Softball Tournament at Wellesley College. With the win, the Warriors advance to the winner bracket final on Saturday, May 15, at 2pm. Rivier moves to the loser bracket, where they will face Salem State on Saturday at 10am.

Both pitchers -- Rathbun and Rivier's Monica White (Augusta, ME) -- dominated the game through the fifth inning. Neither squad could muster much offense as Rathbun held Rivier hitless and struck out nine in the first five frames, while White scattered three harmless hits and fanned six during the same stretch.

Eastern broke the ice in the top of the sixth, when Ashley Sullivan (Trumbull, CT) and Rathbun led off with back-to-back singles. Then, with two outs, Katie O'Toole (Waterbury, CT) doubled down the left field line, giving the Warriors a 2-0 edge. Rathbun then retired six straight Rivier batters to secure the win.

Sullivan was 3-for-3 for the Warriors. Rathbun, O'Toole, Priscilla Alicea (Stratford, CT), and Kim Church (Farmington, CT) tallied hits for Eastern as well, with O'Toole hammering the game-winner. Rathbun (25-1) finished with 11 strikeouts while walking three in her second no-hitter of the season.

Despite a strong outing, White took the loss for Rivier, giving up seven hits and two runs while fanning seven.