ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mount Union's softball team defeated Baldwin Wallace in the Ohio Athletic Conference Softball Tournament Championship game 8-0 on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Raiders (36-9, 14-4 OAC) struck first with two runs in the first inning with RBIs coming from freshman Sydney Mercer (Salem / West Branch) and sophomore Adri George (Eastlake / North) to take an early 2-0 lead. Mount Union would add to their lead in the third inning when Mercer hit a two-run homerun to left field to extend the lead to 4-0. Senior Alexis Temple (Mentor) hit a two RBI single in the top half of the fifth to push the Raider lead to six runs and then Temple and freshman Kendyll Cahill (Grove Port / Grove Port Madison) hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the seventh inning to give Mount Union an 8-0 lead.

The Yellow Jackets (28-15, 12-6 OAC) wouldn't be able to answer in the bottom of the seventh as the Raiders would go on to win the OAC Championship 8-0.

Cahill got the start in the circle for Mount Union and threw a complete game shutout, giving up just six hits and striking out five.

Senior Grace Heath (Beloit / West Branch), freshman Lydia Brunner (Minerva), Cahill and Mercer were all named to the All-Tournament team.

With the win the Raiders earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament and they will find out who, when and where they play when the NCAA Division III Selection Show airs on Monday, May 15 at 1 p.m.