The Spartan baseball team hosted Concordia University Wisconsin Friday afternoon at Schmid Field in Montgomery, Illinois in the opening game of the 2021 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship Series. The Spartans defeated the Falcons 7-1 thanks to a strong complete game performance from Nick Malmberg and two big innings and solo home runs from Corey Vondra and Dylan White..

GAME INFORMATION
Game Boxscore 
Game Score: #10 Aurora University 7, Concordia University Wisconsin 1
Record: Aurora University (36-6 overall)
Location: Montgomery, Illinois : Schmid Field

GAME HIGHLIGHTS -
- Spartan starting pitcher Nick Malmberg allowed two hits in the first inning, then mowed down the Falcons for 17 consecutive outs with a double-play helping to eliminate the only runner he allowed until the seventh.
- In the third, Spartan Corey Vondra led off with an opposite field homer and AU led 1-0.
- A single from Jett Wedekind followed and Dylan White reached on a walk. Wedekind scored on a Collin Meinert single and White scored later in the inning as the Spartans led 3-0.
- Nick Baldassano got in on the fun as he singled and scored Meinert and AU led 4-0.
- As Malmberg added momentum setting down the Falcons, the AU bats threatened over the next three innings but came up empty.
- That changed in the seventh though when Dylan White led off with a long homer to right center. Meinert followed with a walk and Jacob Ambuel blistered a single putting runners on first and third. Meinert scored on a ground out and Justin Sartori doubled in Nico Bermeo.
- AU now led 7-0.
- With two outs in the ninth, Malmberg's shutout bid was ended with a solo home run, which Dylan White nearly caught. Malmberg got the final out and AU was victorious 7-1.

SPARTAN LEADERS - 
HITTING
HITS: Corey Vondra and Collin Meinert (2)
RUNS: Collin Meinert and Dylan White (2)
RBI'S: Justin Sartori (2)
HOME RUN: Corey Vondra and Dylan White (1)
DOUBLE: Corey Vondra and Justin Sartori (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Nick Malmberg (9.0)
DECISIONS: Nick Malmberg (win 9-1) 

UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Saturday, May 22 when they play in the NACC Tournament Championship Series. AU will take on Concordia University Wisconsin with game one of the day (two possible) and game two of the series will begin at 2:00 p.m. in Mequon, Wisconsin.