WILMINGTON, Ohio—The Mount Union softball team extended its winning streak to six and kept its season alive by sweeping Wilmington—1-0 and 4-1—on the road Sunday. The sweep, along with a Muskingum loss, allowed the Purple Raiders (20-18, 10-8 OAC) to secure the final spot in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament next weekend.

After a rough 2-7 start to conference play, the Raiders won six of their next seven conference games heading into the weekend to keep their OAC Tournament hopes alive. A masterful pitching performance by Bre Willis (Navarre/Fairless) in the opener and a three-run blast by Kristen Gromes (Navarre/Fairless) in the nightcap allowed the OAC's hottest team to continue playing.

Willis (10-8) continued her dominance in the pitcher's circle and recorded her fourth shutout in her last six starts to move into sole possession of second place for career shutouts (14). She scattered six hits over seven innings and had nine strikeouts without allowing a free pass.

Wilmington's Danielle Monnier (8-10) nearly matched Willis' performance. Monnier allowed just two hits and also struck out nine Raider batters while walking four. It was her inconsistent command that would prove to be the difference in the ballgame.

Brenna Longo (Moon, Pa./Moon) doubled to start the 5th inning and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Brittany Papp (Uniontown/Green). After recording a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Monnier's control got the best of her and a wild pitch to Gromes allowed Longo to score the lone run of the game.

Mount Union's bats were silent for most of the second game, but a four-run, four-hit 3rd inning proved to be enough for the victory.

With one out in the inning, Papp drew a walk. A Wilmington error on a sac bunt by Julie Olbrych (Youngstown/Boardman) put two runners in scoring position for Gromes, who delivered her fourth home run of the season to break the scoreless tie.

Marissa Earl (Massillon/Washington) then singled and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Amy Brown (Uniontown/Lake). Leigh Siedlak (Westerville/Westerville South) brought Earl around to score on a single. Earl went 3-for-6 at the plate on the day with a double, a run scored, and two stolen bases.

Wilmington scored its only run of the day in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Brooke Byrne that scored Elise Mariner. Byrne went 2-for-4 from the plate and was the only Quaker with more than one hit in the game.

Rachel McAninch (West Jefferson/West Jefferson) went the distance to earn the win for Mount Union. McAninch (8-10) recorded four strikeouts and allowed seven hits in the victory. Jess Clutter (7-13) took the loss for Wilmington while striking out three batters and allowing just two earned runs on seven hits.

Mount Union will play host Ohio Northern in the opening round of the OAC Tournament on Friday at 1 pm.

Mount Union 1, Wilmington 0 (Game 1)
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Mount Union......... 000 010 0 -  1  2  2      (19-18, 9-8 OAC)
Wilmington.......... 000 000 0 -  0  6  0      (16-23, 5-12 OAC)
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Pitchers: Mount Union - Bre Willis and Brittany Papp. Wilmington - Monnier and Becker.
Win-Bre Willis(10-8)  Loss-Monnier(8-10)  T-1:37  A-56
Weather: Overcast and cool

Mount Union 4, Wilmington 1 (Game 2)
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Mount Union......... 004 000 0 -  4  7  0      (20-18, 10-8 OAC)
Wilmington.......... 000 010 0 -  1  7  1      (16-24, 5-13 OAC)
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Pitchers: Mount Union - Rachel McAninch and Brittany Papp. Wilmington - Clutter and Becker.
Win-Rachel McAninch(8-10)  Loss-Clutter(7-13)  T-1:28  A-65
HR MTU - Kristen Gromes (4).
Weather: Cloudy