The Aurora University Spartan softball team needed to come from behind in both games of a doubleheader against Rockford University. The Spartans survived in both attempts, winning 5-4 and 9-8 over the Regents.


Game One Score: Aurora University 5,  Rockford University 4
Game Two Score: Aurora University 9, Rockford University 8
Record: Aurora University (11-1 overall and 2-0 NACC), Rockford University (6-6 overall and 0-2 NACC)
Location: Bedrosian Stadium, Montgomery, Illinois


 GAME ONE 
- The Spartans scored in the first with Josephine Lytton leading off with a walk, stealing second and scored on a Regent error.
- The game remained 1-0 going into the fifth inning. 
- In the fifth, a lead off walk, an error on a run down and a two-run home run led to three Rockford runs and AU trailed 3-1.
- Faith Biggs led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and moved to second on a ground out. Biggs came around to score on a ground out to the pitcher with the first baseman stretching and unable to make a play at the plate.
- Rockford went up 4-2 with a run on a passed ball in the top of the sixth.
- Down two in the bottom of the sixth, the Spartan bats finally awoke. Alexis Rayborn led off with a double and her pinch runner Emma Bachio scored with Alex Thiel to tie the game on a Christina Richards triple. Richards scored the go ahead run on a Jordan Seyfried ground out and AU led 5-4.
- Hannah Tomasko set down the Regents in a 1-2-3 seventh and AU was victorious.


GAME ONE 
HITS: Faith Biggs (2)
TRIPLE: Christina Richards (1)
DOUBLE: Alexis Rayborn (1)
RUNS: Christina Richards, Faith Biggs, Josephine Lytton, Emma Bachio and Alex Thiel (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Christina Richards and Jordan Seyfried (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Hannah Tomasko (7.0)
DECISIONS: Hannah Tomasko (win, 5-1) 
STRIKEOUTS: Hannah Tomasko (5)


GAME TWO
- AU jumped out early in game two, scoring three times in the first inning on three doubles and a pair of singles.
- After Rockford scored one run in the second, the Spartans continued to add on. Three more runs on three singles and a Rockford error put AU up 6-1.
- A Spartan error, their first of five in the game led to a Rockford run in the top of the third.
- AU took advantage of an error by Rockford in the bottom of the inning to score one more run and led 7-2.
- Rockford scored twice in the top of the fourth with an AU error helping to fuel the rally.
- Craziness ensued in the top of the fifth inning with Rockford hitting a lead-off home run followed by a ground rule double after two outs. A single and blown run down that resulted in two errors on the play allowed three Regents runs to cross the plate and AU was now down 8-7.
- The score remained 8-7 going to the bottom of the seventh.
- With one out, Abbey Miller drew a walk after a lengthy battle that saw her face 13 pitches before the free pass. Alex Thiel pinch ran and with two outs she scored the tying run on a single from Josephine Lytton. Lytton advanced to second on the throw to the plate that was not in time to get Thiel. 
- Jemma Fiehweg laced a single to center that scored Lytton with the winning run and the Spartans celebrated a 9-8 walk-off win.


GAME TWO
HITS: Josephine Lytton, Alexis Rayborn and Jemma Fiehweg (3)
RUNS: Josephine Lytton (3)
RUNS BATTED IN: Alexis Rayborn. Ashley Talaga, Tyler Chambers and Jemma Fiehweg (2)
DOUBLE: Josephine Lytton, Ashley Talaga, Faith Biggs and Alexis Rayborn (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Madelyn Buske (3.1) and Rylee Campbell (3.2)
DECISIONS: Rylee Campbell (W, 3-0)
STRIKEOUTS: Madelyn Buske (3) and Rylee Campbell (1)

Read Full Article