WASHINGTON, D.C. - Saint Joseph's senior shortstop Sarah Yoos set a new single-season record for home runs with her 11th on the year as the fifth seeded Hawks topped fourth seeded Saint Louis, 7-1, in the opening game of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship.

With Thursday's win, the Hawks advance to face top-seeded Fordham at noon on Friday in the winner's bracket.

Resuming play after rain postponed the game from Wednesday until Thursday, Saint Joseph's (23-24-1) got out of early trouble. With a runner at third and one out in the bottom of the first, SJU starter Ashley Ventura got a strike out and a fly out to end the Billikens' threat.

After a scoreless second, the Hawks opened the scoring in the top of the third as All-Conference First Team selection Kaylyn Zierke doubled to left field, scoring Kerrie Kortmann and Raelynn Genovese to make it 2-0.

Yoos then extended the lead in the fifth with a two-run homer and breaking the single-season mark with her 11th to put SJU up 4-0 in the 5th.

Senior Cyndi Wilson extended the Hawks' lead in the top of the sixth with a leadoff home run deep over the left-center wall to give the Hawks a 5-0 edge.

Yoos struck again in the top of the seventh, doubling to the center field wall, scoring Raelynn Genovese. Following an out, classmate Brandi Harkness doubled to right center to score Yoos and extend the lead to 7-0.

Saint Louis added an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough as SJU senior Anna Lauterbach got a strike out to end the contest.

For the game, Yoos and freshman Amanda Kulp picked up a pair of hits, while Wilson was 3-for-4.

In the cirlce, Ventura improved to 13-8 as she allowed just four hits over 6.0 innings, while striking out six.