(WILMINGTON, OH)--Mount Union College's baseball opened its Ohio Athletic Conference portion of the 2009 schedule with a pair of wins Saturday at Wilmington College.  The Purple Raiders rallied for an 11-10 win in eight innings in the opener then posted a 7-0 shutout in the nightcap.

Sophomore shortstop Craig Knott (Canton/GlenOak) led off the top of the eighth inning with a home run and senior pitcher Brad Griffith (Canal Winchester/Canal Winchester) allowed just two hits over the final 3.2 innings to earn his first win of the season as the Raiders rallied in the opener.

Wilmington (2-9, 0-2 OAC) held a 10-3 lead heading into the sixth inning, before Mount Union tied the game with seven runs in the sixth that was capped by a Cory Slaybaugh (Hartville/Lake) grand slam home run.

Another big inning put game two away for the Raiders as Mount Union led 2-0 before blowing the game open with a five-run seventh inning. 

This was all more than enough offense for junior hurler Joe Irwin (Boardman/Cardinal Mooney) as he stretched seven hits over seven innings to pick up the complete game shutout victory and moved to 3-0 overall on the season.

Mount Union, which has now won eight of its last nine games to stand at 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the OAC, hosts Hiram College Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the home opener of the season at 23 rd Street Field.