The Aurora University baseball team opened the 2016 season with a three game series in Jacksonville, Illinois with MacMurray College. AU dropped two of three with MacMurray on the weekend.

GAME INFORMATION – Saturday, February 27
Boxscore - Game One
Score: Aurora University 6, MacMurray College 0
Records: Aurora University (1-0) vs. MacMurray College (0-4)
Location: Jacksonville, Illinois. Lenz Field
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior Dillon Popovich went 2-3 with three RBI's, one walk and a home run.
- Junior Adam Lipscomb went 2-3 with one RBI and two doubles.
- Freshman Jeffrey Mayes went 2-3 with a triple.
- Senior Kyle Manske threw six strong innings for the win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Adam Lipscomb doubled in the top of the second and advanced to third on a single by Cale Sparks. Sparks was thrown out trying to steal second but Lipscomb was able to score to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead after two.
- In the top of the 6^th inning Dillon Popovich singled followed up by Harry Vickers getting hit by a pitch, advancing Popovich to second. Lipscomb hit his second double of the day scoring Popovich and advancing Vickers to third. Vickers would score on the following wild pitch to bring the Spartans lead to 3-0.
- Freshman Jeffrey Mayes started the top of the 7^th with a triple and would be thrown out at the plate on SAC bunt by Nicholas Mathey. Senior Nick Turner singled advancing Mathey to second. Popovich would step to the plate and launch the Spartans first homerun of the season.
- The Spartans would lead 6-0 and go on to win by that score.
 
GAME INFORMATION – Saturday, February 27
Boxscore - Game Two
Score: MacMurray College 17; Aurora University 12
Records: Aurora University (1-1) vs. MacMurray College (1-4)
Location: Jacksonville, Illinois. Lenz Field
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Nick Turner went 2-4 with two walks, four runs and a double
- Dillon Popovich went 3-5 with one walk, four RBI's, two runs and a double
- Cale Sparks went 2-4 with one walk and two runs
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Spartans started off where they left off, Turner walked followed up by a single Dillon Popovich. Adam Lipscomb hit a single which scored turner to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead
- Cole Davis started the second inning with a single. Cale Sparks walked and Davis advanced to second. Nicholas Mathey walked which loaded the bases.   
Nick Turner would also walk scoring Davis. Popovich doubled clearing the loaded bases. Harry Vickers reached on an error and Popovich scored.
- The Spartans would give up one run in the bottom of the second and head to the third leading 6-1
- Sparks reached on a single and later scored on a error to give the Spartans the 7-2 lead after three.
- Mike Cherven started the top of the fifth with a single and advanced to third on a single by Cale Sparks. Mayes reached on a fielder's choice scoring Cherven. - AU led 8-6 after 5 innings.
- Turner started the top of the 6^th with a double and was driven in by a single from Popovich. AU would give up three runs in the bottom of the 6^th and go into the seventh leading 10-9.
- AU and MacMurray both scored two in the seventh, 12-11.
- MacMurray scored 6 runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Spartans 17-12.
 
GAME INFORMATION – Sunday, February 28
Boxscore
Score: MacMurray 15, Aurora University 11
Records: Aurora University (1-2) vs. MacMurray College (2-4)
Location: Jacksonville, Illinois. Lenz Field
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Nicholas Mathey went 3 for 6 with two doubles, two runs and one RBI
- Nick Tuner went 3-5 with two doubles, two runs and one RBI
- Jeffrey Mayes went 2-5 with two doubles, one run and two RBIs
- Mike Cherven went 3-4 with one double, one home run, two runs and one RBI
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Aurora started off like the have all weekend, led off from a sacrifice fly from Adam Lipscomb that scored Nick Turner who reached on a single
- Leading 1-0 the Spartans scored two more in the third inning RBI's coming from a double from Harry Vickers and single Jeff LaPage. AU led 3-0
- The Spartans scored four times in the fourth with RBI's coming from Mathey, Turner and Popovich, LaPage.
- MacMurray scored six runs in the 4^th and 5^th innings to close the Spartan lead to 7-6.
- AU's Mayes doubled in the top of the 6^th and scored Mike Cherven and Adam Lipscomb
- MacMurray scored seven runs in the 6^th and 7^th innings to take the 13-9.
- Cherven powered a home run in the top of the 8^th that scored LaPage.
- MacMurray scored two more times in the 8^th the defeat the Spartans.
 
WEEKEND LEADERS:
HITS: Nick Turner and Dillon Popovich (6)
RUNS: Tuner (7)
DOUBLES: Turner (3)
TRIPLES: Jeffrey Mayes (1)
HOME RUNS: Mike Cherven and Popovich (1)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Sunday, March 6 when they travel to Tucson, Arizona for spring break. AU will play a doubleheader with Simpson College starting at 3:00 p.m. (PST) at the Kino Sports Complex.