The Aurora University Spartan softball team split the opening day of the 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament, held at AU's Bedrosian Stadium. Game one originally slated for Thursday, May 9, was postponed due to weather and rescheduled for Friday morning at 11:00 AM. The  #4 Spartans defeated the #5 Eagles of Benedictine University 5-1 in game one, but fell to #1 Dominican University 1-0 in a 56 minute game. 


Game One Score: Aurora University 5, Benedictine University 1
Game Two Score: Dominican University 1, Aurora University 0
Record: Aurora University 31-10 overall and 18-6 NACC; Benedictine University 25-16 and 14-10 NACC; Dominican University 36-5 overall and 20-4
Location: Bedrosian Stadium - Montgomery, Illinois


GAME ONE:
- AU jumped out quickly with Aubrey Ortiz leading off with a single and later scored on a Kionna King single.
- Benedictine answered in the second with a one out double that saw the runner steal third and the base was uncovered allowed the throw to sail into left and the Eagles to tie the game.
- In the third, Faith Biggs hit a towering home run to right center field and gave the Spartans the 2-1 lead.
- AU produced a big crooked number in the fifth with Ortiz again getting the rally starter with a lead-off walk.
- With two outs, Ortiz stole second and then scored on a Kionna King double. 
- The hit parade followed with a Shelby Linn double to score pinch runner Arianna Anderson and then pinch runner Madi Lung scored on a Casey Brennan single.
- The Spartans now led 5-1 after five innings.
- Rylee Campbell slammed the door on any chance of an Eagle comeback to earn her 17th win of the season.

GAME TWO:
- Dominican scored a run in the second inning thanks to mother nature and the bright light of the sun. A two-out fly ball to right was tracked and lost into the sun which allowed the Star runner on first to score on the triple.
- Jordan Seyfried led off the third with a double but she would be stranded 
- Seyfried started an AU run of runners on the bases in every inning from the third on but the big hit to follow and drive in a run was out of reach.
- The Spartans left two runners on in the fourth and fifth and one more in the sixth.
- Meanwhile, Madelyn Buske kept the Dominican offense silent.
- In the seventh, Alex Thiel singled with one out and AU appeared to have a big inning brewing but Aubrey Ortiz was called out on a bang-bang play at first base.
- Tyler Chambers then singled but the liner forced Thiel to have to freeze to avoid being hit by the ball and kept her at third on the play with the tying run.
- Faith Biggs then followed with a long fly ball that took the Dominican outfielder to the right center field fence.but the ball was caught and ended the contest.


GAME ONE:
HITTING
HITS:  Aubrey Ortiz, Kionna King and Casey Brennan (2)
DOUBLE: Kionna King and Shelby Linn (1)
TRIPLE: Alex Thiel (1)
HOME RUN: Faith Biggs (1)
RUNS: Aubrey Ortiz (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Kionna King (2)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Rylee Campbell (7.0)
DECISIONS: Rylee Campbell (win, 17-4)
STRIKEOUTS: Rylee Campbell (2)

GAME TWO:
HITTING
HITS: Casey Brennan, Aubrey Ortiz, Faith Biggs, Tyler Chambers, Kionna King, Jordan Seyfried and Alex Thiel (1)
DOUBLE: Jordan Seyfried (1)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Madelyn Buske (6.0)
DECISIONS: Madelyn Buske (loss, 13-6)