Aurora University Athletics

The Aurora University Spartan softball team swept a doubleheader with Dominican University, winning 5-3 and 5-4..

GAME INFORMATION – Wednesday, April 25
Game One - Boxscore | Game Two - Boxscore
Game One Score: Aurora University 5, Dominican University 3
Game Two Score: Aurora University 5, Dominican University 4
Records: Aurora University (22-12, 13-3 NACC), Dominican University (16-18, 10-8 NACC)
Location: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois

GAME ONE - HOW IT HAPPENED
- AU was the visiting team despite playing at the Spartan Athletic Park.
- The Spartans loaded the bases in the first but left them all stranded.
- Dominican grabbed a 2-0 lead as they got a pair of doubles off AU starter Steph Renner.
- Renner settled in and kept the Stars at bay until the Spartan bats awoke.
- A hit by pitch to Ashley Pittman got the AU rally started. Four hits followed immediately after with a two run pinch hit single from Sam Helton and a two run double from Elaine Walker producing four of the five runs AU scored in the frame.
- Dominican got a solo home run that snuck around the left field foul pole but Renner held firm and was victorious.
- AU won game one 5-3.

GAME TWO - HOT IT HAPPENED
- The Spartans wasted no time getting going in game two as they scored a pair of runs in the first and second innings to lead Dominican 4-0.
- AU took advantage of three Star errors while clubbing five hits in the first two innings.
- In the sixth, Stacy Bellack reached on an error and scored on a Josie Bachtell single later in the inning.
- AU now led 5-0.
- Spartan starter Hannah Tomasko 3-1/3 no hit innings and held a shutout going to the seventh, leading 5-0.
- In the bottom of the seventh, with one out, Dominican scored four runs with three coming on a home run.
- AU coach Mike McKenzie called on senior Britni Wilson to save the win for Tomasko.
- After striking out her first batter she faced, Wilson allowed a hit down the right field line. The ball got past a diving Stacy Bellack and rolled almost to the wall. Dominican hitter Woitovich was trucking along on the bases as Spartan second baseman Joie Bachtell tracked down the ball. As Woitovich was rounding third attempting to tie the game, Bachtell fired a one hop strike to catcher Ashley Pittman. Woitovich was stuck in a run down as Pittman fired to third baseman Nina Tholl who fired back to Pittman who placed the tag on the Star and ended the game in exhilarating fashion.
- AU won 5-4 and swept the Stars in the doubleheader.

SPARTAN DAY LEADERS:
HITTING
HITS: Elaine Walker (6 - 6-of-8)
DOUBLE: Elaine Walker (1)
RUNS: Elaine Walker and Anni Wilson (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Elaine Walker (3)

PITCHING
APPEARANCES (INNINGS): Steph Renner (7.0), Hannah Tomasko (6.1) and Britni Wilson (0.2)
DECISIONS: Hannah Tomasko (win - 8-5), Steph Renner (win - 7-3) and Britni Wilson (save -1st)
STRIKEOUTS: Hannah Tomasko (10), Steph Renner (8) and Britni Wilson (1)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Thursday, April 26 when they travel to Benedictine University. Game one of the doubleheader is set 6:30 p.m. in Lisle, Illinois.