STANDISH, ME – #3 Emerson College (27-9, 20-4 GNAC) used a three-run sixth to erase a 1-0 deficit and defeated #2 Saint Joseph's (28-8, 21-3 GNAC), 4-1, in a GNAC quarterfinal at Ward Park on Friday afternoon.

In the 2:00 PM game, Emerson defeated #5 St. Joseph (Conn.), 1-0, in eight innings with a walk-off single by Nikki Battaglia '10 (Freehold, NJ). Kelsey Tuthill '12 (Middlefield, CT) earned the victory with five strikeouts in 2.2 scoreless, and hitless, innings in relief for the Lions.

Tuthill started against the Monks and allowed four hits with a walk and six K's in a complete game victory. SJC starter Madylan Kluna '12 (Standish, ME), who surrendered nine hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts in seven innings, suffered the loss for the Royal Blue.

St. Joe's opened the game-scoring in the bottom of the third, as Emily Leverone '12 (Hampton, NH) plated pinch-runner Kirin Schrum '13 (Littleton, NH) when she roped a single to left with two out. Schrum entered the game as a runner for Heather Tripp '13 (Lovell, ME), who worked a walk off of Tuthill.

The 1-0 score stood until the top of the sixth. Kluna fanned Jordan Newell '12 (Palm City, FL) to start the inning, but back to back singles by Tuthill and Christina Naramore '11 (Amissville, VA) tied the game at one apiece. Battaglia followed with a double and scored, along with Jilisa Rawding '11 (Tewksbury, MA), who pinch ran for Naramore, two batters later when Brittany Martin '11 (Las Vegas, NV) singled to left to lift the Lions to a 3-1 cushion.

The two-run lead proved to be plenty for Tuthill, the 2009 GNAC Rookie and Pitcher of the Year, but the sophomore helped herself by driving home an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center in the seventh.

Tuthill closed out the game by fanning two batters in the bottom of the seventh to help Emerson remain in the GNAC tourney winner's bracket. Newell and Tuthill both had two hits and Martin plated a pair in the Lions victory.

Saint Joseph's notched just four hits, all singles, off Tuthill, as Leverone, Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT), Anna Willis '10 (Gorham, ME) and Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME) all reached via base hit in the loss.

The GNAC playoffs resume tomorrow morning in Nashua, NH, with the action beginning at 10:00 AM with an elimination game featuring St. Joe's and #8 Norwich University. #4 Simmons and St. Joseph (Conn.) will play at 12:00 PM in another elimination contest and #1 Rivier, the tournament host, will play Emerson at 2:00 PM.

GNAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE AND RESULTS:

Wednesday, April 21, 2010-First Round (Single Elimination)

#1 St. Joseph's Maine, #2 Rivier, #3 Emerson, #4 Simmons - BYE
Game 1: #8 Norwich (8) @ #5 Lasell (1) - Elimination Game
Game 2: #7 Mount Ida (1) @ #6 St. Joseph's Conn. (4) - Elimination Game

Friday, April 23, 2010 @ #1 and #2 seeds (Double Elimination)

Game 3 – #8 Norwich (2) vs. #4 Simmons (5) at Rivier
Game 4 – #6 St. Joseph's Conn. (0) vs. #3 Emerson (1) 8 innings at St. Joe's ME
Game 5 – #4 Simmons (0) vs. #1 Rivier (1) 8 innings at Rivier
Game 6 – #3 Emerson (4) vs. #2 St. Joe's ME (1) at St. Joe's ME @ 4:00pm

Saturday, April 24, 2010 @ Rivier

Game 7 – Norwich vs. St. Joseph's ME @ 10:00am- Elimination Game 
Game 8 – Simmons vs. St. Joseph Conn. @ 12:00pm- Elimination Game
Game 9 – Rivier vs. Emerson @ 2:00pm
Game 10 – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner 8 @ 4:00pm- Elimination Game 

Sunday, April 25, 2010 @ Rivier  

Game 11 – Winner 10 vs. Loser 9 @ 11:00AM- Elimination Game
Game 12 – Winner 11 vs. Winner 9 @ 1:00PM
Game 13 – If Necessary @ 3:00PM