Nashua, NH – Rivier College scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning today against Pine Manor College to win in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball tournament 4-2. The Raiders improve to 23-12 on the season and will move on to play against St. Joseph's College of Connecticut on Friday at Gordon College, where top seeded Emerson College will be awaiting the winner. Pine Manor finishes their season with a record of 10-22 overall and 10-14 in GNAC play.

Pine Manor took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when two straight singles by Michelle Campbell (Baltimore, MD) and Kayla Nielsen (Saco, ME) left runners at second and third. A double steal worked to perfection as Nielsen drew the throw down to second and Campbell took off and scored the game's first run.

Rivier broke through in the bottom of the inning after having just one hit and one base runner through the first two innings. Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) led off the game with a single, but Pine Manor pitcher Tara Doehler (Lakeville, MA) sat down eight straight batters until Peacock came up again in the bottom of the third with two outs. Peacock lifted a 2 strike pitch to deep right-center field that cleared the fence for a homerun that tied the game 1-1.

The Gators threatened again in the top of the fifth inning with two straight 1 out singles which prompted a pitching change for the Raiders. Starter Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA) was pulled and Nadjeska Reynolds (Hamden, CT) took over. Reynolds induced two straight fly balls to left field to get the Raiders out of the inning with the score still knotted at 1.

A single by Britnii Dyer (Douglas, MA) led off the inning for Rivier. Dyer was replaced by pinch runner Myranda Knight (Anson, ME) and Reynolds laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runner along, but a throwing error by third baseman Macayla Kirylo (Pawtucket, RI) sent the ball into foul territory down the third base line and both Knight and Reynolds wheeled around the bases and scored on the play to give Rivier a 3-1 lead. Catherine Roy (Dracut, MA) hit a bloop single into right field with 1 out to keep the inning going and with two outs Marissa Mercier ripped a double down the left field line to score Roy to make it 4-1. Amanda Thornton (Hanover, MA) tried to drive in another run with a single to left field, but the relay throw was executed perfectly and Mercier was cut down at the plate to end the inning.

Pine Manor scored in the top of the seventh after a two out walk and a single by Campbell, but Reynolds struck out Nielsen to end the game and give Rivier the 4-2 win.