Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Aurora University softball team hosted Alverno College on Friday afternoon at the Stuart Sports Complex as AU recognized the senior class and AU student-athlete appreciation day. Despite splitting the doubleheader, AU clinched a share of the 2014 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championships with other results in the NACC on the day.
Game One
Aurora 7
Alverno 6
The Spartans had to play come from behind ball in game one. Alverno got one run off AU starting pitcher
AU did get a run back in the bottom of the inning with Schrader and Clauser hitting doubles and Clausers driving in Schrader.
In the bottom of the second, Schrader hit a bases loaded single to score senior Andrea Graves and Laura Dierking hit a sacrifice fly that scored Huebner to tie the game 3-3.
In the top of the third inning, the Inferno scored three runs to regain the lead after an odd start to the inning. The Alverno five slot hitter Hart was due to lead off but Rossi, the six hitter hit first instead. Despite being caught, no out was awarded for batting out of order. The Inferno got three hits and took advantage of an AU error to score the three runs.
AU would answer back in the bottom part of the inning. After a lead off single by Steph Starr was followed by tow outs, Graves hit a two-run home run to center to pull the score to 6-5.
In the fifth, Alverno added three more runs with Hartzell coming in on relief of Zanella but not being able to slow down the visiting offense.
As they had done all game, AU answered immediately when they came to the plate. With one out, AU got a single from Vanessa Wegner, Graves reached on an error and Huebner hit a bunt base hit to load the bases. Randall then walked to score one run and with two outs, Dierking reached on the second Inferno error of the inning to score two more Spartans. At the end of five innings, AU trailed 9-8.
Alverno added three more runs in the sixth inning, taking advantage of a wild Hartzell who walked four batters and allowed two hits. She was able to leave the bases loaded though to limit the damage to three runs.
In the bottom of the inning, Cahill got a one out single and moved to second on the second out of the inning. With two outs, Graves singled to score Cahill with AU now trailing 12-9.
Randall came to pitch in relief of Hartzell in the seventh and did not allow a run allowing the Spartans to play come back again, down three when they came to the plate.
After pitching in the inning, Randall reached to lead off and moved to third on a single from Schrader. The tying run, Dierking hit a sacrifice fly that scored Randall. Clauser followed with a double to put the tying run on second and brought the winning run to the plate with one out. Starr hit a long fly ball to left that would score Schrader and cutting the deficit to one at 12-11 with two outs. Cahill would end the game with a fly out to right, ending the late game heroics in game two.
With the split, AU is now 23-13 overall and 16-4 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan softball ream comes on Saturday, April 26 when they travel to Concordia University Chicago. Game one is set for 12:00 p.m. in River Forest, Ill.
