The Aurora University Spartan baseball team won a battle of two nationally ranked programs on a chilly Sunday afternoon in Naperville, Illinois at North Central College. The No. 22 Spartans won over the No. 17 Cardinals 8-4.


Game Score: #22 Aurora University 8, #17 North Central College 4
Record: Aurora University (10-2)
Location: Naperville, Illinois - Zimmerman Field


- AU struck first in the game in the third inning with two-outs. Sean Rivera led off with a double and scored on a single from Jacob Ambuel who then scored one batter later on a Justin Sartori double.
- In the top of the fifth, Spartan Dominick Curcio welcomed a new NCC arm with a home run to right and a 3-0 AU lead.
- Four straight singles followed from Nico Bermeo, Ambuel, Sartori and Jett Wedekind. Sartori drove in Bermeo for a 4-0 lead and Ambuel scored on a double-play for a 5-0 AU lead.
- That was enough for the AU pitching combo of Justin Zimmerman and Jack Fisher.
- NCC would score three times in the sixth inning with Zimmerman being lifted for Fisher in the frame.
- Zimmerman scattered six hits in 5-1/3 innings while striking out four and was in line for the win which Fisher would make stand up.
- Fisher held NCC to three hits and struck out five with one run allowed over 3-2/3 innings for the save.
- AU left runners stranded at second and third in the seventh and NCC got the lone run off Fisher in the bottom half of the frame.
- The game remained 5-4 in favor of the Spartans heading to the ninth.
- In the top of the ninth, AU struck for three insurance tallies.
- It was Curcio who once again for the frame going with a single and following an Ambuel single and Sartori walk, Wedekind reached on a catchers interference which scored Curcio.
- Jon Wray then hit into a fielders choice with the throw from the NCC first basemen going astray and allowing Ambuel and Sartori to score.
- The 8-4 lead was more than enough for Fisher in the last inning and AU was victorious in the ranked opponent showdown.


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

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Justin Zimmerman (5.1) and Jack Fisher (3.2)
DECISIONS: Justin Zimmerman (win 3-0), Jack Fisher (save, 1) 
STRIKEOUTS: Jack Fisher (5) and Justin Zimmerman (4)