Aurora University Athletics

The Aurora University softball team produced a shutout in game one (5-0) and came from behind in game two (10-8) to sweep the Eagles of Benedictine University on Wednesday afternoon on the BU campus.

GAME ONE
GAME INFORMATION – Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Score: Aurora University 5, Benedictine University 0
Records: Aurora University (19-6; 9-0 NACC) vs. Benedictine University (17-8; 5-2 NACC)
Location: Lisle, Illinois. – Sports Complex
Game Time: 1:24
Weather: 55 degrees, partly cloudy and breezy
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #30 Mandey Shrader - SS
2. #21 Laura Dierking - 2B
3. #13 Elaine Walker - C
4. #5 Stephanie Starr - CF
5. #12 Amie Raynor - RF
6. #44 Taylor Moore - 3B
7. #10 Logan Cahill - 1B
8. #22 Josie Bachtell - DP
9  #3 Lauren Huebner - LF
10. #27 Vanessa Hartzell - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
Vanessa Hartzell pitched a complete game shutout, striking out six and allowing four hits.
Stephanie Starr was two for four with a double, three runs batted in and one run scored.
Elaine Walker was two for four with one run scored and one run batted in.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- AU jumped out quickly on BU in the first inning. Mandey Shrader, Laura Dierking, Elaine Walker and Stephanie Starr hit four straight singles to score one run but the bases were left empty.
- The game remained a 1-0 AU lead heading into the fifth inning. In the fifth, AU gathered some two out magic. Lauren Huebner and Shrader singled with one out. With two outs, Walker singled to score Huebner and Starr followed with a double to score Shrader and Walker. Amie Raynor followed with a single that scored Starr and AU had a 5-0 lead.
- BU got two runners on in the fifth but AU pitcher Vanessa Hartzell handled the threat and maintained the 5-0 Spartan lead.
- Neither team would produce much in the final two innings and AU shutout BU 5-0.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS:  Elaine Walker and Stephanie Starr (2)
DOUBLE: Stephanie Starr (1)
RUNS: Mandey Shrader, Laura Dierking, Elaine Walker, Stephanie Starr and Lauren Huebner (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Stephanie Starr (3)                                                                                         

GAME TWO -
GAME INFORMATION – Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Score: Aurora University 10, Benedictine University 8
Records: Aurora University (20-6; 10-0 NACC) vs. Benedictine University (17-9; 5-3 NACC)
Location: Lisle, Illinois. – Sports Complex
Game Time: 1:40
Weather: 55 degrees, partly cloudy and breezy
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #30 Mandey Shrader - SS
2. #21 Laura Dierking - 2B
3. #13 Elaine Walker - DP
4. #5 Stephanie Starr - CF
5. #12 Amie Raynor - RF
6. #44 Taylor Moore - 3B
7. #10 Logan Cahill - 1B
8  #23 Ashley Pittman - C
9. #3 Lauren Huebner - LF
10. #14 Britni Wilson - pitcher

SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
AU trailed 5-0 and 8-2 to come from behind to win.
Amie Raynor was three for three with two doubles, two runs batted in and two runs scored.
Elaine Walker was three for four with a double, two runs scored and one run batted in.
Logan Cahill was two for four with two runs batted in and one run scored.
Lauren Huebner was two for four with a double, one run scored and one run batted in.
Mandey Shrader was two for four with one run scored.
Angel Guerra hurled 1-1/3 innings of relief with no hits allowed and two strikeouts.
Vamessa Hartzell threw the final two innings in relief for the win, she struck out three and allowed one hit.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a scoreless top of the first for AU, BU took advantage of a lead-off error and six hits that followed to score five runs and lead AU 5-0.
- The Spartans started to chip away in the fourth inning with doubles from Amie Raynor and Lauren Huebner. After scoring two, AU trailed 5-2.
- BU responded immediately though, piecing together four hits to score three runs. Trailing 8-2, AU turned to Angel Guerra to relieve and she struck out the first batter she faced.
- In the fifth, Spartan Elaine Walker led off with a single and was followed by a Stephanie Starr double, a Raynor double (scored Walker and Starr) and Raynor scored on a single from Cahill.
- Guerra made quick work of BU in the bottom of the fifth and set up the AU offense to get back to work.
- In the sixth, the Spartan scoring all came with two outs. Laura Dierking and Walker reached with one out and with two outs Raynor walked to load the bases. Taylor Moore drilled a single that scored Dierking and Walker and the next hitter Logan Cahill singled to tie the game but Shelby Jellison (running for Moore) was thrown out at the plate trying to score the go ahead run. After 5-1/2 innings,AU had come from behind and tied the game at 8-8.
- Spartan Head Coach Mike McKenzie turned to his ace Vanessa Hartzell in the sixth to keep the Eagle offense at bay. After allowing a lead-off single, she struck out two of the next three to get the offense back in the dugout.
- With one out in the seventh, Lauren Huebner and Mandey Shrader singled. Laura Dierking then grounded to short but the BU fielder threw wildly and Huebner came home with the go ahead run. Walker followed with a double to score Shrader but Dierking was the second Spartan thrown out at the plate in consecutive innings. Heading to the bottom of the seventh, AU had scored eight unanswered to lead 10-8.
- Hartzell set the Eagles down quietly and completed the Spartan sweep.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Amie Raynor and Elaine Walker (3)
DOUBLES: Amie Raynor (2) and Stephanie Starr, Lauren Huebner and Elaine Walker (1)
RUNS: Amie Raynor and Elaine Walker (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Logan Cahill and Amie Raynor (2)  
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Saturday, April 16 when they host Milwaukee School of Engineering. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, Illinois.