Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 A change of venue did not slow the Aurora University softball team as the Spartans swept Rockford College in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener, winning 5-4 and 7-4.

The doubleheader originally scheduled for Saturday at Aurora was moved to Rockford on Monday afternoon with the Spartans serving as the home team on the Regents home field.

Game One
Aurora 5 Rockford 4

The Spartans needed the final at bat to knock off the Regents despite starting pitcher Vanessa Hartzell allowing just one hit but seven walks nearly did in the sophomore pitcher.

AU got the games first run in the bottom of the first inning when Mandey Schrader singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Rockford got three runs with only one hit but were aided by two hit by pitches, two walks and an error in the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Spartans cut the lead to one when Sarah Clauser led off with a single, stole second and third and scored on a throwing error on her stolen base to third.

Walks and errors aided the Regents in the top of the seventh allowing the visitors to score one run for a 4-2 lead as the Spartans came to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

In the seventh, the Spartans were down to their final out with runners on second and third. AU freshman Laura Dierking grounded to shortstop but a throwing error allowed her to reach and advance to second while two Spartans scored to tie the game 4-4. After Dierking stole third, Clauser singled to center to bring home Dierking with the winning run and a 5-4 Spartan win.

Game Two
Aurora 7  Rockford 4

A walk and error nearly gave Rockford a lead in the top of the first inning of game two but starting pitcher Natalie Zanella worked out of the jam to bring the AU bats to hit.

In the bottom of the inning, Dierking and Clauser combined efforts again with Dierking reaching on an error and scoring on a Clauser single. Clauser advanced to second on the throw following her hit, stole third and then scored on a suicide squeeze for a 2-0 AU lead.

The Spartans added two more runs in the second inning. With two outs, Schrader tripled to score Lisa Pena and she scored on a single from Dierking. At the end of two innings, AU led 4-0.

Zanella continued to hold Rockford scoreless and stranded base runners allowing the AU bats to add run support.

The AU bats went back to work in the third inning, scoring three more times to push the lead to 7-0. Lauren Huebner tripled with one out and scored on a bunt from Danielle Bestwina. With two outs and the bases loaded, a wild pitch and following throwing error by the catcher allowed Pena and Bestwina to score the innings second and third run.

In the fourth inning the Regents showed they were not going to give in easily, scoring four times. Rockford used three hits and two Spartan errors to tally the four runs.

Neither team had much of a scoring threat the remainder of the game as AU held on for the 7-4 win and the doubleheader sweep.