Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Aurora University softball team took to the road once again, this time to Lakeland College for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match-up with the Muskies. AU swept the doubleheader, winning 3-1 and 8-4.

Game One
Aurora 3
Lakeland 1

The Spartans got to work on offense early in game one with a lead-off triple from Mandey Schrader. She would be thrown out at the plate though when Laura Dierking grounded to third base. Dierking moved to second on the play and later stole third. She would score two batters later on an infield error by the Muskies for a 1-0 lead.

Lakeland tied the game in the on an error that allowed one run to crosse the plate against Spartan starter Vanessa Harftzell. That would be the only run Hartzell would surrender on the day.

In the fifth inning AU took advantage of more Muskie miscues this time a two-out dropped pop up by the shortstop that allowed pinch runner Natalie Szyller to score for a 2-1 Spartan lead.

The seventh inning saw AU strike again and once again it centered around a Muskie defensive miscue. Logan Cahill hit a lead off single and was pinch run for by Ashley Tamraz. With one out, Lauren Huebner grounded out with Tamrasz moving to third but when the Muskie first baseman committed a throwing error, Tamraz scampered home for a 3-1 lead.

Hartzell worked out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to claim the win, she allowed the one unearned run, five hits and struck out eight.

Game Two
Aurora  8
Lakeland  4

AU scored first again in game two with a triple again playing a big part of the Spartan offense. Dierking hit a one out triple and scored on a ground out from Sarah Clauser.

Lakeland responded to tie the game in the bottom of the first and then took a 3-1 lead off starting pitcher Natalie Zanella in the bottom of the second inning.

Neither team generated much offense until the fifth inning when the Spartans began to cut into the Lakeland lead. As had been the case in game one, AU took advantage of Muskie mistakes. Dani Bestwina reached on an error with one out and came around to score later in the inning.

The next inning AU scored three times to take a 5-3 lead. This time AU manufactured runs and did not need the aid of the Muskies. Dierking led off with a single and moved to third base with two outs. Taylor Moore reached on an infield single that scored Dierking to tie the game. Cahill followed with a single after Rebecca Randle came on to run for Moore. Both Randle and Cahill scored when Bestwina doubled to left.

Lakeland scored a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to one at 5-4. After a lead off single, Head Coach Mike McKenzie called upon Hartzell to come on in relief of Zanella. Hartzell got two outs then hit a batter and allowed a single before a strikeout to end the inning.

In the seventh, AU extended their lead. With one out Schrader doubled and scored on a single from Dierking. Dierking stole second and Clauser walked to give AU two runners on with one out. Steph Starr hit a ground rule double after a Muskie pitching change to score Dierking. After Clauser was caught trying to steal home on a ball that got away from the Muskie catcher for the second out, Moore singled to score Starr for an 8-4 lead.

Hartzell closed out the Muskies in the seventh to give AU their seventh straight win and her second save in two days. Zanella got the win, her seventh of the season.

With the sweep, AU is now 14-8 overall and 8-0 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Saturday, April 12 when they host Milwaukee School of Engineering. Game one is set for 12:00 p.m. at the Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, Ill.

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