Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Day two in Central Florida found the AU baseball team squaring off against traditional national power The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The Spartans and TCNJ split the doubleheader with AU winning game one 8-2 and dropping game two 3-1.
GAME ONE
Aurora 8, The College of New Jersey 2
Making his first collegiate start, freshman
Eric Palmer got off to a rocky beginning in the first inning against TCNJ. A lead-off single, followed by a hit batter brought up the middle of the visitors order with no outs.
Palmer managed a strikeout before loading the bases with a walk. But the freshman battled out of the jam, getting a fly-out to left field and a ground out to end the inning and settle his early jitters.
The Spartan bats responded immediately and provided Palmer with some early breathing room. Senior
Josh Davidson led off with a walk and promptly stole second. The stolen base was his first of three on the day.
Tim Mackey followed with a single bring up
Ryan Adams. After Mackey stole second, Adams drove in both Spartan runners with a single to left and giving AU a 2-0 lead.
After Palmer set down TCNJ in order in the second, Davidson manufactured a run with two outs. He reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on a double by Mackey giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead.
TCNJ got on the board in the top of the third without a hit. A walk, two stolen bases and an rbi ground out, cut the AU lead to 3-1. The visitors scored another run in the fourth inning on three base hits.
AU's offense exploded in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring five runs with a mix of timley hits and pressure put on the defense. The big hit of the inning came off the bat of Davidson who cleared the bases with a double to right field. At the end of five innings, AU led 8-2.
Palmer settled in and coasted before junior
Luke Gilbertson came on for two innings of no-hit baseball to give the Spartans the 8-2 win.
GAME TWO
The College of New Jersey 3, Aurora 1
Game two produced a pitcher's dual after the first inning. AU jumped on the scoreboard quickly as Davidson reached on a hit-by-pitch and with two-outs scored on a single by senior
Brett Van Asdlen.
The Spartan offense would have a difficult time the rest of the game though as TCNJ starter Eric Lewis settled in and scattered three AU hits over the next seven innings and only allowed six base runners.
TCNJ answered off AU starting pitcher
Cory Walden in the bottom of the first inning. Making his first start on the mound for the Spartans, Walden allowed three singles and walked two in the first inning, showing some signs of jitters but managed to hold TCNJ to two runs.
Walden settled in and three hits and one run over the next six innings keeping the offense within reach. But Lewis and Michael Ham who earned a save, kept the Spartan bats off balance.
