The Spartan baseball team returned to action in the 2021 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference South Division Tournament on Saturday night at Benedictine University against Illinois Institute of Technology. The Spartans slugged 16 hits and got a strong pitching performance from Josh Reinhardt to win 13-2 in seven (run rule) innings to advance in the NACC tournament.

GAME INFORMATION
Game Boxscore 
Game Score: #11 Aurora University 13, Illinois Tech 2 - 7 innings
Record: Aurora University (34-6 overall)
Location: Lisle, Illinois - Benedictine University (host)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS -
- The Spartans opened up the game with a walk and four straight singles to take a 3-0 lead.
- After Josh Reinhardt made quick work of IIT in the bottom of the inning, the bats went back to work.
- Doubles from Nick Baldassano and Jett Wedekind and a single from Dylan White plated two more runs and AU led 5-0.
- The fourth inning saw more AU runs as a lead-off walk to Paul Dobravec and singles from Corey Vondra and Wedekind scored two more runs for a 7-0 lead.
- Dobravec and the Spartans took advantage of two IIT errors in the fifth to score another run.
- The Spartans again got a lead off walk to start the sixth with a double from Collin Meinert scoring Dylan WHite and singles from Jacob Ambuel and Nico Bermeo plating two more runs. AU led 10-0.
- IIT scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
- AU answered right back to put the mercy run rule into effect.
- A lead off single for Vondra and walk to Wedekind were in front of a long three-run bomb off the bat of Dylan White. AU led 13-2.
- IIT threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out.
- Brady Kauppila came in relief of Reinhardt and got a pop up and ground out to seal the 13-2 run rule victory.

SPARTAN LEADERS - 
HITTING
HITS: Jett Wedekind, Dylan White and Collin Meinert (3)
RUNS: Corey Vondra, Jett Wedekind and Dylan White (3)
RBI'S: Dylan White (5), Jett Wedekind and Jacob Ambuel (2)
HOME RUN: Dylan White (1)
DOUBLE: Jett Wedekind, Nick Baldassano and Collin Meinert (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Josh Reinhardt (6.1) and Brady Kauppila (0.2)
DECISIONS: Josh Reinhardt (win 4-1)
STRIKEOUTS: Josh Reinhardt (5)

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