WILMINGTON, Ohio – Mount Union's softball team swept Wilmington in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, winning game one 18-2 and winning game two 18-1.

The Purple Raiders (27-7, 10-4 OAC) struck first in game one putting up three runs in the top of the first inning the first two coming off an RBI triple from freshman Sydney Mercer (Salem / West Branch) that scored senior Grace Heath (Beloit / West Branch) and freshman Faith Reicosky (North Canton / Hoover) and then sophomore Adri George (Eastlake / North) drove in Mercer with an RBI single to make the lead 3-0.

Mount Union would add to their lead in the top half of the second, scoring three runs on RBI doubles from Mercer and freshman Kendyll Cahill (Grove Port / Grove Port Madison) and then adding a fourth run off an RBI single from junior Ally Nittoli (Poland / Poland Seminary) to extend the lead to 7-0. The Raiders would continue to add to their lead in the top of the third inning when Reicosky scored after an error by the Wilmington center fielder and then senior Alexis Temple (Mentor) hit an RBI double that brought home George to increase the lead to 9-0.

Mount Union would add seven more runs in the top half of the fourth with RBIs coming from sophomore Amanda Bish (Mercer, Pa. / Mercer Area), sophomore Alexandra Drewek (Lordstown), sophomore Sami Swartz (Columbus / Grandview Heights) and freshman Trista Melcher (Medina) to make the lead 16-0.

The Quakers (13-19, 1-13 OAC) would answer with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when McKenna Archey hit a two-run homerun to left field to cut the lead to 16-2. The Raiders would come back to add two more runs in the top half of the fifth inning with RBI singles coming from Drewek and Swartz to push the lead back to 16 runs. Wilmington wouldn't be able to plate any runs in the bottom of the fifth as the Raiders would go on to win game one 18-2.

Cahill got the start in the circle for Mount Union and gave up zero runs on just one hit and struck out four in three innings of action. Freshman Emmalee Marstellar (Vandalia / Butler) would come in to pitch the final two innings, giving up two runs on three hits.

The Raiders would get off to another fast start in game two, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning with RBIs coming from Mercer, George and Nittoli to take a 4-0 lead. Mount Union would follow that up with a massive 14-run second inning that saw RBIs come from Mercer, George, Nittoli, freshman Faith Kiko (North Canton / Hoover), Cahill and Temple, Nittoli and freshman Lydia Brunner (Minerva) also both scored on wild pitches as the Raiders increased their lead to 18-0.

The Quakers would answer with a run in the bottom half of the third, scoring off an RBI from Judaea Wilson to cut the lead down to 17 runs. That would be the only run Wilmington was able to get back though as the Raiders would go on to take game two 18-1.

Cahill got the start again in the circle for Mount Union, she gave up zero runs on one hit and struck out one in just one inning of action. Freshman Brooklyn Schlabach (Apple Creek / Waynedale) would come in to pitch the next three innings in relief and gave up one run on one hit and struck out one. Freshman Chloe Bird (Norton) would come in to pitch the final inning and gave up zero runs on zero hits and struck out two.

The Raiders are back home next when they host Ohio Northern for an OAC doubleheader on Saturday, April 29, with game one starting at 1 p.m. and game two at 3 p.m. at the 23^rd Street Softball Field in Alliance.