#7 Raiders upset #2 Emerson in GNAC Softball Tournament

(Boston, Mass.) The Rivier University Softball team scored two runs in the top of the seventh as they rallied to upset Emerson College in the 2013 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament. The Raiders, who are ranked #7, advance to take on the #3 seed – University of Saint Joseph on Friday afternoon. USJ will host the tournament as they are the highest remaining seed following #8 Suffolk's upset over #1 Norwich. Emerson was the #2 seed.

Junior Kirstie Clark (Brentwood, NH) led the way for Rivier as she recorded three hits in four at bats while hitting a solo home run, her third of the season. Also recording RBI's were junior Hillary Tarr (North Easton, MA) and freshman Kathryn Mostone (Pelham, NH). Senior Marisa Mercier (North Smithfield, RI) went 1-for-3 with a RBI as she did a fantastic job handling the pitching staff.

Tarr was the star on the mound as she threw a complete game (7 innings) allowing Emerson to score just four runs on eleven hits and struck out four. With a two run lead in the seventh, Tarr settled down and was able to retire the side after allowing a two-out double.

The Raiders capitalized on a rare Emerson error in the seventh to steal the game. Freshman Anjulisa Rhodes (Lawrence, MA) pinch ran for classmate Allyson Nolan (Willington, CT) and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Lion third baseman. With one away, Mercier singled up the middle on a 2-2 pitch that plated Rhodes for a 5-4 lead. Freshman Lia Bobek (Hollis, NH) would scamper home on a wild pitch to give Rivier a valuable insurance run with two outs.

With the victory, the Raiders improve to 16-19 overall on the season. This is also the first time that the program has advance to the Final Four since the 2011 squad lost 5-4 to Saint Joseph's College in the Championship Game.