ALLENTOWN — Emma Freeman got most of her team’s outs with her arm in Saturday’s Colonial League softball quarterfinal at Pates Park.

But it was Freeman’s glove that got the Northwestern junior out of the only real jam she faced in her team’s 4-0 win over Bangor.

The Slaters had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth inning when Kelli Snow hit a line drive right at Freeman, who made the catch and then threw to third base for a double play.

“I haven’t gotten a line drive back to me at all this year,” said Freeman. “Sam (Boyer) was ready at third, and I’m glad she was there so we could get the double play and get the lead runner.”

Freeman induced a fly out to end the inning, and then allowed one base runner but no runs in the seventh to secure the win.

Northwestern, the top seed in the league playoffs, advances to face No. 5 seed Notre Dame in Tuesday’s semifinals.

In the quarterfinal, Freeman struck out 13 batters, which she believes is a playoff-high for her career. She allowed five hits and walked two batters.

The Slaters put their leadoff hitter on base in three innings, and had a one-out baserunner in another inning, but only once did any of them get past second base.

“I have never seen a pitcher work so well under pressure,” said Tiger catcher Abby Dunstan. “Nothing can shake her. Even if something’s not going the way we want, or if there’s an error or two, it doesn’t matter. You’d never be able to tell. It’s one of her best attributes.

“She is so easy to catch. I never worry about her missing anything. She’s so easy to work with. She just hits her spots.”

The Tigers staked Freeman to an early lead with a three-run first inning. Rylee McGinley drew a leadoff walk and Dunstan blasted a home run to center field for a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

“I have a mentality to just go up there and hit it as hard as possible,” said Dunstan, who collected her 100th career RBI with the blast. “That was my mentality. It was a middle-inside pitch, and I just took it and went with it.

“It’s a good feeling. I’m just glad I can show up for my teammates the way they show up for me.”

A two-out double from Shelby Mitman, and an RBI single by Ainsley Behler gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead after one inning.

In the second and third innings, Freeman didn’t allow a hit while striking out six batters and walking one. After allowing two hits in the fourth, she struck out the side in the fifth inning.

Northwestern added a run in the bottom of the fifth when Rylee McGinley bunted for a single, then stole second base and got to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a Dunstan sacrifice fly.

KEEPING IT 100 ... Bangor’s Brooke Hermanksi got her 100th career hit in the game with a first-inning single. The senior center fielder got her 101st knock in the fourth inning. She went 2-for-3, while also reaching base on an error in her third at bat.

NEXT UP ND ... The Tigers, which went 17-0 in league play this season, will face Notre Dame Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Crusaders (13-7) beat Southern Lehigh 5-0 in the quarterfinals. The Tigers beat Notre Dame 10-2 in their only meeting this season on April 8.

WHAT ELSE IN GOING ON? ... The other semifinal has second-seeded Palisades taking on No. 3 seed Pen Argyl at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pates. The league title game is slated for Thursday at 5 p.m. at Pates Park, with the East Penn Conference final scheduled for later that evening.

Bangor 000 000 0 - 0 5 0

Northwestern 300 010 x - 4 6 3

Giera and McGowan; Freeman and Dunstan. W- Freeman. L - Giera. HR: Dunstan (1st, one on).

Records: Northwestern (20-1); Bangor (9-11).