The Aurora University baseball team was looking to start another winning streak on Wednesday afternoon with a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader at #12 ranked Benedictine University. After losing game one by a score of 9-3, the #10 ranked Spartans were unable to split the twin bill and fell in a high scoring affair in game two 12-11 as their ninth inning rally fell short.


Game One Score: #12 Benedictine University 9, #10 Aurora University 3 - 7 innings
Game Two Score: #12 Benedictine University 12, #10 Aurora University 11
Record: Aurora University 12-5 overall and 2-2 NACC; Benedictine University 15-1 overall and 4-0 NACC
Location: Lisle, Illinois


Game One:
- Logan Riley led-off the second inning for AU with a single, right before Nik Panico clubbed a two-run homer over the left field wall. This gave the Spartans the early 2-0 lead.
- AU made it 3-0 later in the inning when Dominick Curcio came around to score on a Tyler Patton sac-fly.
- Benedictine hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second, trimming AU's lead to 3-2.
- The Eagles scored three more runs in the third inning for a 5-3 lead.
- Benedictine scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 9-3 lead.
- After running into trouble in the fourth inning, AU pitcher Sam Harvey settled in and threw two scoreless innings.
- The Spartan offense was not able to scratch any more runs across, resulting in a 9-3 game one defeat in seven innings.

Game Two:
- Benedictine held a 1-0 lead after the first inning of play.
- The Spartans answered right back in the top of the second when Joe Lukancic drew a bases loaded walk, allowing Curcio to trot home.
- The trio of Nico Bermeo, Lukancic, and Derek Angelo hit three-straight doubles in the fourth that allowed AU to grad a 3-1 lead.
- A Sean Rivera RBI single gave the Spartans a 4-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
- Benedictine scored three runs in their half of the fifth to tie the score at 4.
- Bermeo answered the Eagles with a lead-off solo shot in the sixth that gave the Spartans a 5-4 lead.
- The Eagles hit a three-run home run in the sixth to take a 7-5 lead.
- Spencer Ruch ripped an RBI single in the seventh that scored Sean Rivera. This trimmed AU's deficit to 7-6.
- The score became 12-6 after in favor of the Eagles after seven innings of play.
- The Spartans cut into that lead with a Nik Panico RBI double in the eighth.
- AU got a rally started in the ninth and loaded the bases with two outs. Panico proceeded to hit a grand slam that brought the Spartans back within just one run at 12-11.
- The Spartans were unable to scratch another run across and fell just short 12-11 in game two.


Game One:
HITTING
HITS: Joe Lukancic, Logan Riley, Nik Panico and Sean Rivera (1)
HOME RUN: Nik Panico (1)
RUNS: Logan Riley, Nik Panico and Dominick Curcio (1)
RUNS BATTED IN: Nik Panico (2) and Tyler Patton (1)
STOLEN BASES: Joe Lukancic (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Adrian Ruiz (3.1) and Sam Harvey (2.2)
DECISIONS: Adrian Ruiz (loss 2-1)

Game Two:
HITTING
HITS: Nico Bermeo (4) and Nik Panico (3)
DOUBLE: Nik Panico (2), Nico Bermeo, Joe Lukancic and Derek Angelo (1)
HOME RUN: Nico Bermeo and Nik Panico (1)
RUNS: Nico Bermeo (3), Joe Lukancic and Dominick Curcio (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Nik Panico (4) and Joe Lukancic (2)
STOLEN BASES: Sean Rivera (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Joey Pettit (4.2), CJ Cazares (1.2), Anthony Consiglio (1.0) and Owen Piazza (0.2)
DECISIONS: CJ Cazares (loss 1-1)