NASHUA, N.H. – The North's first-seeded Rivier softball team fell to No. 3 South Saint Joseph (Conn.) by a final score of 5-4 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pod Play on Friday afternoon at Raider Diamond. USJ served as the home team for both contests.

The Raiders fell to 22-14 as the Blue Jays improved to 20-17.

Rivier fell into a 5-0 hole after two innings as Saint Joseph posted a four-run bottom of the second inning which included a two RBI triple with a third run scoring on a throwing error.

The Raiders got on the board with an RBI single off the bat of grad Hannah Muchemore in the top of the third, cutting the Blue Jays' lead to four.

Rivier added three runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to one run. Junior Hayley Rapaglia notched a base-clearing triple down the line in right to score two runs before sophomore Hayleigh Silva scored Rapaglia on an RBI ground out.

Both teams were kept off the scoreboard through the final three innings as the game ended with USJ narrowly winning it, 5-4.

Both Rapaglia and Muchemore went 2-for-4 at the dish, with Rapaglia notching two RBI.

In the circle, three pitchers combined in the effort, recording 10 strikeouts. Rapaglia threw 2.2 innings in a relief appearance, allowing zero runs with four strikeouts to her credit. Sophomore Hailey Berube closed out the final 2.0 innings, notching four strikeouts while also blanking the Blue Jays' batters.

Rivier will now play in Game 7A on Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m. back at Raider Diamond and will face off against No. 2S Albertus Magnus after the Falcons avoided elimination with an 18-10 victory over No. 4N Saint Joseph's (Me.) The winner will move on to face No. 3S Saint Joseph (Conn.) at 4:00 p.m. while the losing team will be eliminated.