Once again hosting an unbeaten Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opponent, the Aurora University Spartan softball team welcomed the Falcons of Concordia University Wisconsin to the Stuart Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon. AU showed their offensive prowess once again, winning both ends of the doubleheader, 10-1 in 5 innings and 11-8.

Game One
Aurora 10 Concordia Wis. 1 (5 innings)
The Spartans got off to a quick start in the game with sophomore second baseman Mandey Shrader hitting a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first. Then with one out, freshman shortstop Larkin Langston and sophomore Steph Starr each singled before junior outfielder Amie Raynor hit a three-run home run for a 4-0 AU lead.

In the second, the Spartans added three more runs on four hits with Starr driving in two with a single and Langston plating one on a double. AU then loaded the bases in the third but for the first time in 13 innings, spanning four games they did not score a run. But in the fourth the Spartans got started again, scoring three runs on three hits to enact the mercy rule. Junior Lauren Huebner drove in two runs with a double to left center field in the inning.

Junior pitcher Vanessa Hartzell went the complete game for the win, allowing one run in the fifth inning while scattering four hits.

Game Two
Aurora 11 Concordia Wis. 8
Once again the Spartans jumped out to a quick lead in this game with a pair of runs in the first and second innings for a 4-0 lead. After two quick outs in the first, Langston blasted a home run over the left field fence and then Starr singled and scored on a triple from Raynor. In the second, senior catcher Vanessa Wegner led off with a home run and Shrader scored the second run in the inning after reaching on an error and crossing the plate on a Logan Cahill single.

The Spartans went quietly in the third and then exploded in the fourth for six runs on six hits. With the potential for a second mercy ended contest against the Falcons. But Concordia took advantage of two walks from starting pitcher Natalie Zanella and relief pitcher Vanessa Hartzell.

With the game continuing, the Spartans added a run in the bottom of the fifth with Shrader singling and later scoring on a Starr base hit. Both half innings in the sixth went quickly bringin the Falcons up for the final at bats in the seventh. With one out, Concordia loaded the bases against Hartzell before she got a strike out for the second out. A single to center off Hartzell's glove though plated two Falcons and brought the tying run to the plate. Hartzell induced a ground out to Langston at shortstop for the final out and giving AU the 11-8 win.

With the win, AU is now 21-3 overall and 14-0 in the NACC. The Spartans are on a 16 game win streak and clinched a spot in the NACC tournament in a few weeks. Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 when they host Hope College in a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is set for 3:00 p.m. at the Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, Illinois.