(ADA, OH)--The top-seeded and No. 4-nationally ranked Ohio Northern softball team knocked off second-seeded Mount Union 7-3 at the 2010 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament in Ada.  The game started late Friday afternoon, suspended due to darkness and resumed Saturday morning.

Ohio Northern jumped out to a quick lead 4-0 in the top of the first.

Senior Mandi Fought led off with a single and advanced to third on a double by sophomore Jackie Mangola. After Mount Union recorded two outs, freshman Meghan Anten drilled her first career home run over the left field wall. Sophomore Cassie Gaye singled and then scored on an RBI triple by freshman Chrissy Rankin.

The Purple Raiders chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the third and one in the fourth.

Junior Jill Rader (Ashland/Ashland) led off with a single and scored after a sacrifice bunt on an RBI single by freshman Kristen Gromes (Navarre/Fairless). After a single by senior Meghan Allen (Hartville/Lake), Gromes scored an unearned run on an ONU error to cut the lead to 4-2.

In the fourth, senior Meghan Simons (Minerva/Minerva), who was named to the All-Tournament team, singled and was pinch run for by freshman Rachel Jesso (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant). After a sacrifice bunt, Jesso advanced to third on a single by junior Mara Palombaro (Boardman/Cardinal Mooney), before scoring on a double-steal to make it a 4-3 game.

The Polar Bears answered with three runs in the top of the sixth.

Sophomore Katie Cretin drilled an RBI double off the wall to score Anten before an RBI single by senior Cortney Cash plated Cretin.

Fought singled, Jackie Mangola walked and sophomore Kimi Blewett picked up an RBI when she was hit by a pitch to push ONU's advantage to 7-3.

Sophomore Maggie Molnar tossed 4.2 innings in relief, allowing just one earned run and striking out two batters, to earn the win and improve to 12-0 on the season.

The Polar Bears advanced and eliminated fourth-seeded Muskingum by a score of 21-6 before being upended in the championship game by John Carroll, 7-3.

The Blue Streaks win their first-ever OAC Championship but by OAC rule regular season champion Ohio Northern earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by advancing to the tournament championship game.

Mount Union sees it season end with a 25-15 record and must wait on the selection committee to see if they would earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.