Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Aurora University baseball team split an important early season Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader with Benedictine University Monday afternoon, winning 12-10 in walk-off fashion and then losing 9-4.

Game One
Aurora 12
Benedictine 10

Offense , namely the home run, was on the docket in game one of the rivalry between the Spartans and
The home runs, partly aided by a gusty wind blowing out to right and right center field found its way to the visitors in the third inning. The Eagles got a solo home run and two-run home run to cut the AU lead to 5-3.

AU would answer back immediately in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run from senior Cory Walden. His first of what would be two very exciting trips around the bases.

Trailing 7-3, Benedictine scored the first runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning that did not come courtesy of the home run. The Eagles plated three runs on three hits.
With the score 7-6, both starting pitchers settled in over the next two plus innings, allowing a combined one hit.

The visitors took the lead in the top of the seventh inning, backed by the home run to tie the game at 7-7. Three singles and a wild pitch scored the other two runs, giving Benedictine a 9-7 lead over the Spartans.

Aurora responded with two runs of their own to tie the game back up 9-9, this time without the help of the home run. AU took advantage of three Eagle errors in the inning.

Benedictine took the lead in the top of the ninth with the rally starting with a two-out error. Back to back singles followed to score the go ahead run.

AU trailed Benedictine 10-9 going into the bottom of the ninth inning and setting up the chance for a hero to step to the plate.

With one out, sophomore Tanner Oymaian walked and moved to third on a single by McMahon, brining Walden to the plate. Walden deposited the pitch from the Eagle pitcher over the right center field fence for the walk-off home run and a 12-10 AU win.

Walden finished game one going two-for-four with two home runs, six runs batted in and two runs scored. Senior Kevin Day earned the win, pitching two and two-thirds innings of relief.

Game Two
Benedictine 9
Aurora 4

The visiting Eagles got off to an early lead on Spartan senior pitcher Drew Gay, plating seven runs (five
After freshman Tyler Findlay came on in relief of Gay, the Spartan bats began to chip away at BU pitcher Chris Jordan. AU scored three runs in the third and another in the fourth to cut the Eagle lead to 7-4.

But the Spartan offense could not scratch across any more runs in the final innings as BU added two more runs for the eventual 9-4 win.

With the split, AU is now 9-6 overall and 3-1 in the NAC on the season.  Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Saturday, April 6 when they host Lakeland College. Game time is set for noon in Aurora, Ill.