Box Scores:  Game 1 vs. Mount Union  /  Game 2 vs. Mount Union

A pair of shutouts suffered by John Carroll against Mount Union in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader staged at Bracken Field Wednesday have the Blue Streaks' postseason hopes hanging by a thread.

JCU lost game one by an 8-0 score in a five-inning affait, then lost a pitcher's duel by a 2-0 count in the nightcap.

Losing two games to its archrival certain did do some damage to John Carrol's quest to reach the OAC Tournament for the first time since 2003, but there is still an outside chance for the Blue Streaks to qualify.

That is because Capital University was also swept by league-leading Muskingum Wednesday, leaving a glimmer of hope for the Blue Streaks heading into the final weekend of the 2008 regular season.

John Carroll will have almost no momentum heading into its regular season ending showdown with fellow fifth place occupant Marietta College on Saturday, and that attributed to the pitching of Purple Raiders senior Lindsey Royer.

Mount Union's ace handcuffed John Carroll to zero runs on six hits over 12 innings of play. She allowed two hits in four innings in game one while her team built an 8-0 lead. The big blow on offense was turned in by Meghan Simons, who hit a grand slam to double the Purple Raiders' 4-0 lead in the fourth.

Simons would then pitch a one hit scoreless fifth inning to close out the game.

Game two was much more entertaining, as JCU's Ashley Lippert and Royer would lock horns in a scoreless match that would remain 0-0 until the top of the fifth inning. Mount Union freshman catcher Mara Palombaro untied the game with a solo home run on the first pitch of the frame.

Katie Oliver would add a solo home run in the top of the seventh for the only other run of the contest.

In defeat, Lippert had a very strong outing. She pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on just seven hits to a team that came into the day batting .368 as a unit. Lippert struck out three and walked one in seven innings.