Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Aurora University softball team split a pair of chilly non-conference games with North Central College on Thursday afternoon.

GAME ONE - Box Score
GAME INFORMATION – Thursday, April 7, 2016
Score: Aurora University 1, North Central College 0
Records: Aurora University (14-5) vs. North Central College (8-9)
Location: Montgomery, Illinois. – Stuart Sports Complex
Game Time: 1:10
Weather: 44 degrees but very cold
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
1. #30 Mandey Shrader - 2B
2. #21 Laura Dierking - DP
3. #9 Larkin Langston - SS
4. #5 Stephanie Starr - CF
5. #13 Elaine Walker - C
6. #12 Amie Raynor - RF
7. #10 Logan Cahill - 1B
8  #44 Taylor Moore - 3B
9. #3 Lauren Huebner - LF
10. #27 Vanessa Hartzell - pitcher
 
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
Stephanie Starr was two for three with one run batted in.
Mandey Shrader was one for three with one run scored.
Vanessa Hartzell earned the complete game shutout, scattering three hits and struck out four.

HOW IT HAPPENED
AU came out swining in the first inning. Back to back singles from Mandey Shrader and Laura Dierking led to Shrader scoring on a single later in the inning from Stephanie Starr. The Spartans would leave two runners stranded though in the inning.
In the fifth North Central left a runner on third for their best scoring chance.
In the sixth, AU had Starr on third and Amie Raynor on first with one out but Logan Cahill popped into a double-play to end the inning.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Stephanie Starr and Amie Raynor (2)
RUNS: Mandey Shrader (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Stephanie Starr (1)                                                                                                            

GAME TWO - Box Score
GAME INFORMATION – Thursday, April 7, 2016
Score: North Central College 2, Aurora University 0
Records: Aurora University (14-6;) vs. North Central College (9-9)
Location: Montgomery, Illinois. – Stuart Sports Complex
Game Time: 1:20
Weather: 41 degrees but very cold
 
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
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
North Central threatened in the second but a runner was thrown out at the plate as catcher Ashley Pittman tossed to pitcher Britni Wilson to nail the runner.
Neither team had a base runner again until Stephanie Starr doubled and was left on base in the fourth.
In the fifth, the Cardinals had two on with one out but Wilson worked out of that jam.
AU threatened in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off walk to Amie Raynor and she advanced to third with one out but back to back ground outs did not allow her to score.
In the sixth, North Central got a pair of two out singles and AU called on Vanessa Hartzell to relieve Wilson. Hartzell struck out the hitter she faced to end the scoring threat.
North Central took advantage of a two-out walk in the seventh. The walk was followed by two singles and a double that plated two runs and gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans got one runner on in the bottom of the seventh but could not get the bats rolling and fell 2-0.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITS: Mandey Shrader, Laura Dierking and Stephanie Starr (1)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Saturday, April 9 when they host Rockford University. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, Illinois.