The Aurora University baseball team opened the 2021 season in St. Louis, Missouri with a 12-7 victory over the host Griffins of Fontbonne University.

GAME INFORMATION
Game Boxscore
Game Score: #17 Aurora University 12, Fontbonne College 7
Record: Aurora University (1-0)
Location: St. Louis, Missouri

GAME HIGHLIGHTS -
- The Spartans scored once in the first thanks to an error and a walk with Dylan White eventually scoring on a double steal.
- In the third, AU added another run with a leadoff single from Corey Vondra was followed by a Nick Baldassano rbi double.
- The bottom half of the inning saw Fontbonne score three times to take a 3-2 lead.
- A Dylan White lead off home run led off the fourth and the game was tied 3-3.
- Fontbonne scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and led again 5-3.
- Three hits including another Baldassano double helped the Spartans score twice and again tie the game in the top of the fifth.
- Collin Meinert led off the sixth with an infield single and later in the inning he gave AU the 6-5 lead when he scored on a Vondra sac fly.
- After another scoreless inning from the Spartan pitchers, the offense went to work in the top of the seventh.
- Jett Wedekind led off with solo home run which was followed by a Jacob Ambuel single. Ambuel scored later in the inning when Paul Dobravec was hit by a pitch.
- Going to the bottom of the seventh, AU led 8-5.
- Fontbonne scored two more in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead back to one at 8-7.
- As had been the case all day, the Spartans answered right back to any runs scored by Fontbonne.
- Four hits led to four runs with a Paul Dobravec two run double being the big bash of the frame.
- Alex Strupp struck out three and allowed three hits but no runs in the final two innings to hold the 12-7 AU win.

SPARTAN LEADERS - 
HITTING
HITS: Nick Baldassano (3)
HOME RUN: Jett Wedekind and Dylan White (1)
DOUBLE: Nick Baldassano (3) and Paul Dobravec (1)
RUNS: Jett Wedekind, Nick Baldassano, Collin Meinert, Corey Vondra and Jacob Ambuel (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Paul Dobravec (3)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Carter Turnquist (3.2), Seth Gutknecht (1.1), Brady Kauppila (2.0) and Alex Strupp (2.0)
DECISIONS: Brady Kauppila (win, 1-0) 
STRIKEOUTS: Brady Kauppila and Alex Strupp (3)
 
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