AMHERST, Mass. – Brianna Lore tossed a five-hitter, and Saint Louis used a pair of two-run innings to defeat George Washington 4-2 Wednesday morning in an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship first-round game at Sortino Field.

The Billikens (27-21), seeded fifth in the six-team tournament, advance to take on top-seeded Saint Joseph's Thursday at 9 a.m. (NOTE TIME CHANGE FROM EARLIER 11 a.m. START).Saint Joseph's received a first-round bye. George Washington, the No. 4 seed, fell to 26-22.

Lore (14-14) struck out five and did not walk a batter. Both GW runs were unearned.

Laura Bohning was 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Billiken offense. Kelsey Biggs, Elizabeth Everingham and Erin Harcar had an RBI apiece.

Saint Louis grabbed an early lead with two unearned runs in the second inning. After Biggs drew a leadoff walk, Jessica Van Nostrand executed a successful sacrifice bunt, and both runners advanced a base on a throwing error.

Alyson Brand's infield hit loaded the bases. Everingham followed with a ground ball to second that scored Biggs, and Harcar's ground ball to the pitcher plated Van Nostrand.

The Bills began the third inning with three consecutive hits to double their lead. Lindsay Friedman led off with a single through the left side, stole second and scored on Bohning's double just inside the third-base bag. Biggs singled up the middle to score Bohning for a 4-0 SLU advantage.

Lore retired the first seven batters before GW recorded its first hit with one out in the third. However, that runner was erased in a 4-6-3 double play.

GW put two runners aboard with two outs in the fourth but could not dent the scoreboard. The Colonials made it a 4-2 game in the sixth and had the potential tying run at the plate with two outs, but Lore ended the threat with a ground ball to second and retired the side in order in the seventh.