A non-conference match-up of longtime regional foes was on the schedule Wednesday afternoon at Solfisburg Park as the Aurora University baseball team hosted Carthage College. The game went into extra innings before AU fell to Carthage 5-3.

The game did not start off kindly for AU and freshman starting pitcher Jacob Stockman as the Carthage lead off man tripled down the right field line and scored one out later to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Spartans did threaten in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out on three walks but the Spartans were left stranded.

In the third inning, Tanner Oymaian got the Spartans first hit with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out to tie the game 1-1. Carthage did answer immediately though in the top of the next inning to regain the lead at 2-1. Carthage then added to the lead in the top of the seventh with one more run on three hits for a 3-1 advantage.

AU, who had managed just three hits through six innings, started off the bottom of the seventh with back to back singles from Harry Vickers and Ryan Rybakowski. A sacrifice bunt was followed with a run scoring ground out to cut the lead back to one at 3-2. Oymaian then drew a two-out walk and the Spartans went to work on the bases. A perfectly executed double steal by Oymaian (stole second) and Rybakowski (stole home) tied the game up at 3-3.

Stockman the gave way to the AU bullpen after pitching seven innings, scattering nine hits and striking out two. Aron Okamoto threw a scoreless eighth with Henry Erickson pitching a scoreless ninth. The Spartan offense managed only one base runner in the final two innings as the game headed into extra innings.

In the 10th, Carthage took advantage of the games only error to start the inning and after a sacrifice bunt, a Red men pinch hitter came on and hit a two-run home run to take the 5-3 lead. With two outs, the Spartans did get a single from Adam Lipscomb and a walk by Jeff Gersch but a ground out would end the game with the final score of 5-3.

With the loss, AU is now 19-15 overall. Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Saturday, April 25, 2015 when they host Rockford University in a NACC doubleheader. Game one is set for 12:00 p.m. at Solfisburg Park in Aurora, Illinois.