EAST BOSTON, Mass. – After a seven-run scoring spree in the fourth inning, the Johnson and Wales University softball team blanked Emmanuel College, 8-0 in Game 9 of the 2016 GNAC Tournament Saturday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.

The Wildcats first got on the board in the top of the first inning with a run scored by Meghan Gavin to take an early 1-0 lead.

The Johnson & Wales bats came alive again in the top of the fourth when Jennifer Corona got the Wildcats' offensive explosion started with an RBI single to score Tiffani Semanchik. Next, Brenna DuPerry hit a double to left field, sending home Alex Fantasia and Corona to go up 4-0.

Later in the inning, Gavin knocked in DuPerry on a single to left center chasing Emmanuel starting pitcher Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) from the game. JWU's leading sluggers Emily Gorecki and Diana Amendolara capped the big inning off with back-to-back home runs. Gorecki's two-run shot and Amendolara's solo slam gave the Wildcats the 8-0 lead. Johnson & Wales held on through the end of five to seal the run-rule victory.

Senior Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.), freshman Megan Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) and senior Kerrianne Vulpis (East Rockaway, N.Y) all collected hits for the Saints in the loss.

Corona picked up the win in the circle scattering three hits over five innings to improve to 19-5 on the year. Kilcoyne suffered just her second loss of the season to a GNAC opponent and falls to 17-7 overall.

With the win the Wildcats advance to the Championship round of the tournament while the Saints will play Suffolk University later today in an elimination game for the chance to take on JWU tomorrow morning.

*Release courtesy of Suffolk University Sports Information Dept.