Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Aurora University spartan baseball team hosted the No. 3 ranked Concordia University Chicago Cougars in a Northern Athletics Colligate Conference double header on Monday afternoon. AU would split the series, losing the first game 7-0 and winning the second game 7-4 which snapped the Cougars 20-game win streak.

Game One
Concordia Chicago  7
Aurora 0

The Cougars found the early lead and continued to build on it throughout the game and went on to defeat the Spartans 7-0

The Spartans struggled offensively only able to convert on two hits with both coming in the ninth inning. Junior Collin Hart pitched the complete game for the Spartans.

Game Two
Aurora 7
Concordia Chicago 4

AU fell behind in the top of the first inning to the Cougars who were able to score one in the first inning but the lead would not stay with the Cougars long. AU sophomore Rafer Cooley singled to score Danny Walczak who reached on single to tie the game at one.

The Spartan bats began to heat up in the third inning when Tanner Oymaian was hit by a pitch, stole second and then third. Senior Jared Swain singled to left scoring Oymaian bring the score to 2-1. Cooley hit another RBI single to score Dillon Popovich who walked earlier in the inning.

AU picked up where they left off in the fourth inning. Freshman Adam Lipscomb doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Turner. Oymaian was hit by a pitch again and was able move to second on a pass ball. Walczak then hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Lipscomb. With a runner on second, Popovich stepped to the plate and hit a home run to deep right that brought the score to 6-1 with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Swain then followed with a solo home run of his own to extend the lead to 7-1.

The Cougars did score three in the top of the sixth. AU freshman Ottavio Dattolo would relieve AU starting pitcher Tyler Findlay, who went six strong innings, allowing four runs, four hits and struck out six.

Dattolo threw three perfect innings of relief including striking out two, one being the last batter of the game to earn his first collegiate save.

With the split, AU is now 10-22 overall and 6-10 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Tuesday, April 22 when they travel to North Central College. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. in Naperville, Ill.