Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 The Aurora University Spartan softball team opened their season in Clermont, Florida participating in the Dot Richardson Classic. AU finished the trip with a 2-4 record.

The Spartans defeated Illinois College 16-13, and Methodist University 4-2. AU lost to Coe College, College of St. Benedict, Augustana College and Finlandia University. Games against Adrian College and Moravian College were rained out.   

Senior Sarah Clauser led the Spartans in hitting over the trip. Clauser had a .368 batting average of .368 with one home run, one double, seven runs batted in and five runs scored. Two new faces for the Spartans also performed well in their AU debuts. Freshmen Laura Dierking (.375 with a triple and seven runs scored) and Stephanie Starr (.308 with four runs batted in) played well for AU.

Winning pitchers for the Spartans were senior Rebecca Randall in relief and junior Natalie Zanella. Randall earned the win over Illinois College with two innings of relief and allowed no runs and one hit. Zanella finished the trip with a record of 1-1 with an earned run average of 5.81 over 15-2/3 innings pitched. Sophomore pitcher Vanessa Hartzell went 0-3 with a 2.40 earned run average in 23-1/3 innings pitched, where she struck out 20.

Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Saturday, March 15 when they travel to DePauw University for a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is set for noon in Greencastle, Ind.