The Aurora University baseball team finally hosted a home contest on Sunday afternoon as they welcomed the Falcons of Concordia University Wisconsin in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener. AU dropped game one 8-3 before earning the split with a game two victory 9-6.

GAME ONE INFORMATION – Sunday, April 3, 2016
Score: Concordia University Wisconsin 8, Aurora University 3
Records: Aurora University (9-10; 0-1 NACC) vs. Concordia University Wisconsin (6-7; 1-0 NACC)
Location: Montgomery, Illinois. – Stuart Sports Complex
Weather: 61 degrees, ridiculously gusty winds.
Game time: 2:58
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #4 Jeffrey Mayes  - SS
2. #31 Nicholas Mathey  - LF
3. #6 Nick Turner  - RF
4. #11 Adam Lipscomb - 2B
5. #30 Dillon Popovich - 1B
6. #7 Cale Sparks - 3B
7. #8 Mike Cherven - DH
8. #9 Jeff LaPage - C
9. #2 Ryan Rybakowski  - CF
10. #13 Kyle Manske - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
Dillon Popovich was two for five with two doubles and one run scored.
Jeffrey Mayes was two for five with two doubles.
Adam Lipscomb was one for four with a home run, two runs scored and one run batted in.
Jeff LaPage was two for four with one run batted in.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- AU scored twice in the second inning as Adam Lipscomb led off with a hit by pitch and Dillon Popovich doubled to put Spartans on second and third. Lipscomb scored on a ground out and Popovich touch the plate on a single from Jeff LaPage.
- Concordia Wisconsin tied the game at 2-2 with a two run home run following a leadoff walk.
- In the seventh, the tires came off the Spartan express. Four CUW hits, three walks and a hit by pitch led to five runs and AU trailed 7-2. CUW added another run in the eighth which once again came via a leadoff walk.
- AU's Adam Lipscomb hit a two out solo home run in the ninth for the other AU run on the day.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Jeffrey Mayes, Dillon Popovich and Jeff LaPage (2)
RUNS: Adam Lipscomb (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Adam Lipscomb, Cale Sparks and Jeff LaPage (1)
HOME RUN: Adam Lipscomb (1)
DOUBLES: Dillon Popovich and Jeffrey Mayes (2)
 
GAME TWO INFORMATION – Sunday, April 3, 2016
Score: Aurora University 9, Concordia University Wisconsin 6
Records: Aurora University (10-10; 1-1 NACC) vs. Concordia University Wisconsin (6-8; 1-1 NACC)
Location: Montgomery, Illinois. – Stuart Sports Complex
Weather: 61 degrees, ridiculously gusty winds.
Game time: 3:12
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #4 Jeffrey Mayes  - SS
2. #6 Nick Turner  - RF
3. #30 Dillon Popovich - 1B
4. #11 Adam Lipscomb - 2B
5. #7 Cale Sparks - 3B
6. #31 Nicholas Mathey  - LF
7. #8 Mike Cherven - C
8. #22 Anthony Beale - DH
9. #2 Ryan Rybakowski  - CF
10. #5 Elias McMahon - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
Dillon Popovich was three for four with a home run (grand slam), a double, five runs batted in and two runs scored.
Jeffrey Mayes was two for three with two runs scored.
Adam Lipscomb was two for four with a home run, two runs batted in and one run scored.
Jeff Woods pitched the final 3-2/3 innings to earn his fourth save of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- In his second straight at bat of the double-header, Adam Lipscomb hit a home run, this one gave AU a 1-0 lead in the second.
- AU starting pitcher Elias McMahon struck out seven of the first nine Falcon hitters he faced in the game.
- AU took advantage of the leadoff walk in the third inning as Jeffrey Mayes drew one and that was followed by Nick Turner being hit by pitch. Mayes scored on a Popovich double and Turner on a Lipscomb single. Popovich then scored on a single from Nicholas Mathey and AU led 4-0.
- In the fourth, Concordia scored three times, once again aided by AU walks. Four walks and three hits plated three and the Spartans were only up one at 4-3.
- The AU offense picked up the team though in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Rybakowski and Mayes hit singles and Turner was hit by pitch. Senior Dillon Popovich then put a ball into the blustery winds and the ball landed beyond the right center field fence for a grand slam and an 8-3 AU lead.
- Cale Sparks would later double and score on a Mike Cherven double and AU led 9-3.
- Concordia scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth to chase McMahon as AU led 9-6.
AU turned to Jeff Woods out of the bullpen and the Spartan threw 3-2/3 innings to earn the save and the Spartan victory. He did create his own jam and got out of it without allowing a run.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Dillon Popovich (3)
RUNS: Jeffrey Mayes, Dillon Popovich and Nick Turner (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Dillon Popovich (5)
HOME RUN: Adam Lipscomb and Dillon Popovich(1)
DOUBLE: Dillon Popovich, Cale Sparks and Mike Cherven (1)

UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Monday, April 4 when they travel to Dominican University. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 4:00 p.m. in Schaumburg, Illinois at Boomers Stadium.