Aurora University Athletics

The Aurora University Spartans played host to the Belles of St, Mary's College (Indiana) at the Stadium at the Ballpark in Rosemont, Illinois on Tuesday afternoon. The Spartans swept the doubleheader winning both games 7-5 including a thrilling walk-off home run in the first game.

GAME ONE - Box Score
GAME INFORMATION – Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Score: Aurora University 7, St. Mary's College (Indiana) 5
Records: Aurora University (6-5) vs. St. Mary's College (Indiana) (8-6)
Location: Rosemont, Illinois. – The Stadium at the Ballpark
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #30 Mandey Shrader - 2B
2. #10 Logan Cahill - 1B
3. #9 Larkin Langston - SS
4. #5 Stephanie Starr - CF
5. #13 Elaine Walker - C
6. #12 Amie Raynor - RF
7. #44 Taylor Moore - 3B
8  #21 Laura Dierking - DP
9. #3 Lauren Huebner - LF
10. #27 Vanessa Hartzell - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Elaine Walker was three for three with a home run (game winning walk-off), a double, four runs batted in and one run scored.
- Larkin Langston was three for four with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
- Laura Dierking was two for three with a double and one run scored.
- Vanessa Hartzell picked up the win, pitching the complete game, striking out seven.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- St. Mary's scored a pair of runs in the first inning, another in the second and took a 4-0 lead with a run in the fifth.
- In the bottom of the fifth, the AU bats came to life. Aided by a Belles error that loaded the bases with two outs, three straight run scoring singles plated four runs and tied the game.
- St. Mary's responded with a run in the sixth, aided by a third AU error of the game to take a 5-4 lead.
- Down 5-4 in the bottom of th seventh, Logan Cahill led off by getting hit by a pitch. Larkin Langston followed with a single to right and both Langston and Natalia Szyller (running for Cahill) advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt from Stephanie Starr.
- AU freshman Elaine Walker stepped to the plate and with an 0-2 count, delivered a walk-off three-run home run over the left field fence to give AU the 7-5 victory.
 
SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Walker and Langston (3)
RUNS: Langston (2)
HOME RUN: Walker (1)
DOUBLES: Walker and Dierking (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Walker (4)
 

GAME TWO - Box Score
GAME INFORMATION – Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Score: Aurora University 7, St. Mary's College (Indiana) 5
Records: Aurora University (7-5) vs. St. Mary's College (Indiana) (8-7)
Location: Rosemont, Illinois. – The Stadium at the Ballpark
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #30 Mandey Shrader - 2B
2. #21 Laura Dierking - RF
3. #9 Larkin Langston - SS
4. #5 Stephanie Starr - CF
5. #13 Elaine Walker - DP
6. #12 Amie Raynor - 1B
7. #10 Logan Cahill - 3B
8  #23 Ashley Pittman - C
9. #3 Lauren Huebner - LF
10. #14 Britni Wilson - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Laura Dierking was three for four with a home run, three runs batted in and two runs batted in.
- Mandey Shrader was two for two with a double and one run scored.
- Stephanie Starr was two for four with two doubles, two runs batted in and one run scored.
- Lauren Huebner was two for three with a double and one run scored.
- Vanessa Hartzell earned the win, pitching 2-1/3 innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out one.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- St. Mary's scored three runs in the top of the first inning, once again jumping out to an early lead on the Spartans.
- The hot AU bats responded immediately as they scored five times in the bottom of the inning. The first four Spartans reached as three runs scored and the game was quickly tied 3-3. AU continued to add the offense, pushing across two more runs and forcing a St. Mary's pitching change,
- St. Mary's scored one run to cut into the AU lead in the third.
- The game remained 5-4 AU until the fifth when St. Mary's scored one run as AU went to the bullpen and Vanessa Hartzell replaced starter Britni Wilson.
- In the bottom of the sixth, Lauren Huebner led off with a single and with one out she came around to score on a two-run home run off the bat of Laura Dierking.
- Hartzell set down the Belles in the seventh and AU won game two, 7-5.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Dierking (3)
RUNS: Dierking (2)
HOME RUN: Dierking (1)
DOUBLES: Starr (2), Shrader and Huebner (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Dierking (3)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Monday, March 28 when they travel to Hope College in a doubleheader. Game one is set for 3:00 p.m. (EST) in Holland, Michigan.