The Purple Raiders now stand at 19-15 overall and are tied with Muskingum College at 8-8 in the OAC.  Otterbein College, 9-5 in the conference, must lose at least one of two games Tuesday at Ohio Northern University then Mount Union would need to take at least one and probably both games when the teams meet next Saturday in Alliance to get in the tournament.

John Carroll moved to 23-8 overall and at 13-5 in the OAC clinched a bid in the OAC Tournament.

The Blue Streaks, who entered the game averaging over eight runs a game over their last five games, got big innings in both games that ended up being the difference.

In the opener, with John Carroll leading 2-1 heading into the third inning when the Blue Streaks sent 14 hitters to the plate and scored nine runs all with two outs to take a commanding 11-1 lead.

Mount Union tried to get back in the game with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth highlighted by Craig Knott (Canton/GlenOak) hitting his second home run of the game and Cory Slaybaugh immediately following with his team-best 10th home run of the season. 

But John Carroll tacked on a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings and starter Paul O'Donnel.

John Carroll jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game two before Mount Union for eight unanswered runs with four in the first, one in the second and three in the third to take an 8-2 lead.

The Blue Streaks scored a run in the fourth, but Mount Union got that run back in the bottom half of the inning to leave the score 9-3.

Two runs in the top half of the sixth fifth inning allowed John Carroll to close the gap to 9-5, then in the top of the sixth the Streaks struck again this time sending 11 runners to the plate taking advantage to three walks and fielding error to plate six runs (five unearned) and take the lead 11-9.  The big hit was a two RBI double from Tom Hickey that scored the go ahead run.

The Blue Streaks scored another run in the eighth for the 12-9 final, while Michael Eden got the win and Adam Jenkins got the save both in relief as the duo held Mount Union seven hits and one run over the final 6.2 innings.

On the day, Cory Slaybaugh (Hartville/Lake) had five hits, while Knott, Grant Sevek (Salem/Salem) and Matt Tracy (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic) each had four hits for the Raiders.    

Mount Union continues the homestand tomorrow at 3 pm against Notre Dame College. The senior class of baseball players will be recognized before the game.