The Aurora University baseball team opened the 2022 NCAA Division III Regional Tournament 2:45 after originally scheduled against the Augustana College Vikings. The Spartans withstood some early punches from the Vikings and were victorious in an exciting 8-7 final score. Every Spartan in the lineup collected at least one hit with a Sean Rivera  two-run home run in the seventh and a Dylan White bases loaded single to score Nico Bermeo with the eventual winning run in the eighth providing the late game excitement. Senior Skyler Yamamoto earned the win in relief following a strong 7-1/3 inning performance from Jack Fisher.


Game Score: Aurora University 8, Augustana College 7
Record: Aurora University 34-9 overall ; Augustana College 33-11 overall
Location: Whitewater, Wisconsin - 


- The Spartans and starter Jack Fisher fell behind 2-0 in the first with two Augustana singles and two free passes along with a sac fly leading to the runs.
- The AU offense got going in the bottom of the second with one out, Dylan White singled on a 10-pitch battle and was followed by a double from Jacob Ambuel. Collin Meinert drove in White with a ground out to get the Spartans on the board. Sean Rivera (hbp) and Dominick Curcio (walk) then loaded the bases but were left stranded as AU trailed 2-1 after two.
- In the top of the third, Augustana took advantage of three more walks from Fisher with a single, a throwing error on a fielder's choice leading to two more runs and the Spartans now trailed 4-1.
- AU loaded the bases again in the third with one out singles from Justin Sartori and Jett Wedekind preceding a two-out walk to Jacob Ambuel but they would be left stranded.
- After back to back innings of leaving the bases loaded, AU trailed 4-1.
- Fisher made quick work of Augustana in the fourth and got the warming AU bats back to the plate.
- With one out in the bottom half of the inning, Dominick Curcio doubled off the right field wall to get the inning started. Curcio scored on a Vondra single coupled with two errors from the left fielder which allowed Vondra to end up on third. Nico Bermeo hit a rocket single to center to score Vondra and AU trailed 4-3. 
- Justin Sartori then doubled down the left field line to put Spartans on second and third and also forcing an Augustana call to the pen early in the game.
- The Viking reliever tossed a wild pitch that allowed Bermeo to scamper home and tie the game 4-4.
- Fisher again had a quick inning in the fifth, aided by a tailor made double play for Collin Meinert to Justin Sartori.
- Ambuel led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk and was followed by a Meinert single and a balk to put runners on second and third with no outs.
- With one out, Curcio drove in Ambuel with a sac fly and the Spartans led for the first time on the night.
- Augustana threatened in the sixth thanks to an error and walk but a fielder's choice that saw Sean Rivera throw to Jett Wedekind at the plate to cut down the tying run stopped the scoring chance. Wedekind made a tremendous play, scooping the throw while making the tag in one quick motion.
- In the seventh, the Spartans got going again with a lead off double to left center for Ambuel. With one out and following a pitching change for Augustana to create a lefty-lefty matchup, Rivera took the first pitch and hammered it over the right field wall and AU led 7-4.
- In the eighth, Fisher was lifted after 7-1/3 innings of work for Seth Gutknecht. Augustana managed four singles and took advantage of a fielding error to score three times and tie the game at 7-7 before Skyler Yamamoto came in to get a strikeout to end the Viking rally.
- The Spartans responded as Bermeo, Sartori, Wedekind and White all singled with White driving in Bermeo and AU led 8-7. The inning ended when Collin Meinert hit a one hop missile that turned into a 6-4-3 double-play. It was the fourth ball Meinert had squared up in the game with just one hit to show for the barreling. 
- In the ninth, Yamamoto got two outs before a bloop single and walk put two on for Augustana and the top of their order. But Yamamoto slammed the door, striking out the final Viking hitter.
- The Spartans exhaled and were jubiliant winners, 8-7.


HITTING
HITS: Justin Sartori (3)
HOME RUN: Sean Rivera (1)
DOUBLE: Jacob Ambuel (2), Justin Sartori and Dominick Curcio (1) 
RUNS: Jacob Ambuel and Nico Bermeo (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Sean Rivera (2)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Jack Fisher (7.1), Seth Gutknecht (0.1) and Skyler Yamamoto (1.1)
DECISIONS: Skyler Yamamoto (win, 6-2)
STRIKEOUTS: Jack Fisher (4)

Read Full Article