Runs and a lot of them were in store for the 2021 NCAA Division III St. Paul Regional contest between the No. 2 Aurora University Spartans and the No. 5 Saint Mary's University Cardinals. AU found themselves down 5-0 before erupting for 11 unanswered runs. Eventually, 28 runs would cross the plate in the game with AU falling a heartbreaker to Saint Mary's 15-13.

GAME INFORMATION
Game Boxscore 
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Game Score: #5 Saint Mary's University (Minn) 15, #2 Aurora University 13
Record: Aurora University (37-7 overall)
Location: Roseville, Minnesota - University of Northwestern-St. Paul

GAME HIGHLIGHTS -
- The Spartans loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning with Corey Vondra, Dylan White and Collin Meinert all being hit by pitches. But the Spartans left the bases loaded without scoring.
- SMU scored the games first run in the second with three singles.
- Six hits led to four runs from Saint Mary's in the third inning as AU called on the bullpen in relief of starter Nick Malmberg.
- As the Spartans have done all season, the offense responded immediately and in a big way in the bottom half of the inning.
- With one out, Dylan White doubled to start a stretch of nine consecutive Spartans to reach base on a hit, walk or hit by pitch. 
- Collin Meinert followed the White double with a home run to left to put the Spartans on the scoreboard at 5-2. Jacob Ambuel doubled and scored on a Justin Sartori single. 
- After Paul Dobravec singled to score Josh Reinhardt with the fourth AU run, Corey Vondra stepped to the plate. 
- On a 1-1 pitch, Vondra unloaded on a ball that went well over the left center field fence for a grandslam and AU led 8-5.
- Following a quick 1-2-3 inning by Gutknecht, the Spartan bats went back to work in the fourth.
- It was Vondra again with the bases loaded, this time he tripled to deep center field, clearing the bases and AU led 11-5.
- Four walks and a hit by pitch hurt the Spartans in the fifth inning, allowing SMU to score five runs on just two hits.
- Jacob Ambuel pushed the AU lead to 13-10 with a two-run home run to left in the bottom of the fifth.
- After a scoreless sixth, Saint Mary's took advantage of a two-out error to score one run but AU still led 13-11.
- In the eighth, the Spartans and reliever Nathan Smith appeared to get an inning ending double-play ball but the throw from second to first sailed wide with one run scoring on the play. The next batter singled and the game was tied 13-13 going to the bottom of the 8th.
- One out singles from Sartori and Bermeo had the AU offense going again. But a Paul Dobravec liner to center saw the Cardinal outfielder make a diving play that doubled up Sartori at second.
- Saint Mary's got a two-out two-run home run in the ninth to take the 15-13 lead.
- The Spartans were unable to get the bats going in the bottom of the ninth, losing 15-13.

SPARTAN LEADERS - 
HITTING
HITS: Justin Sartori (3), Corey Vondra and Jacob Ambuel (2)
RUNS: Jacob Ambuel (3), Collin Meinert, Justin Sartori and Nico Bermeo (2)
RBI'S: Corey Vondra (7), Collin Meinert and Jacob Ambuel (2)
HOME RUN: Corey Vondra, Collin Meinert and Jacob Ambuel (1)
TRIPLE: Corey Vondra (1)
DOUBLE: Jett Wedekind, Dylan White and Jacob Ambuel (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Nick Malmberg (2.1), Seth Gutknecht (1.2), Alec Strupp (1.0), Skyler Yamamoto (2.0) and Nathan Smith (2.0)
DECISIONS: Nathan Smith (loss 3-2) 

UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Saturday, May 29 when they play in the NCAA Tournament. AU will take on #1 Trinity University Texas at 11:00 a.m. at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul in Roseville, Minnesota.