The Aurora University Spartan baseball team swept the second day of the 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament at Benedcitine University, with a 13-11 victory over Illinois Institute of Technology, before knocking off Milwaukee School of Engineering 9-3 in AU's second game of the day on Saturday afternoon. With the pair of victories, the Spartans have now advanced to the tournament championship against Benedictine on Mother's Day.


Game One Score: #19 Aurora University 13, Illinois Institute of Technology 11
Game Two Score: #19 Aurora University 9, Milwaukee School of Engineering 3
Record: Aurora University 33-10 overall 
Location: Lisle, Illinois - Benedictine University


Game One:
- AU didn't take long to grab an early lead over the Raiders in the bottom of the first inning as Nico Bermo came across on a wild pitch.
- The score became 2-0 later in the first when Logan Riley singled home Derek Angelo. 
- AU's offense put up four runs in the second inning, starting with a Spencer Ruch bunt single that scored Sean Rivera and Nick Czarnecki with the help of a Raiders defensive error.
- Angelo hit a sac-fly later in the second that allowed Ruch to trot home.
- The Spartans completed the four run second Nik Panico fielder's choice that scored Bermeo.
- IIT tied the score at six in the top of the third inning.
- Czarnecki launched a ball out to right field in AU's half of the third that traveled over the wall for a 7-6 Spartan lead.
- The Raiders took an 8-7 lead in the top of the fourth.
- Panico answered back in the Spartan half of the fourth with an RBI double, tying the score at eight.
- IIT gained an 11-8 lead in the top of the fifth.
- The dangerous AU offense did not let up in the fifth, putting up four more runs starting with one on a Burmeo hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.
- Angelo tied the game at 11 later in the fifth with a two-run single.
- The very next batter Panico ripped an RBI single to allow AU to re-take the lead at 12-11.
- That lead reached 13-11 in the seventh when Angelo continued his strong day with a RBI double.
- Sam Harvey finished off the Raiders, who did not score a run in the final four innings of play after putting up 11 in the first five.
- Harvey would help guide AU to the 13-11 victory.

Game Two:
- Nico Bermeo wasted little time giving AU a lead in game two of the day as he hit the second pitch of the game out of the park.
- MSOE took advantage of two AU errors and three hits to go ahead 2-1 in the third inning.
- The Spartans answered quickly as Joe Lukancic reached with a walk and scored on a two-run homer from Derek Angelo.
- AU added on in the fourth with a three run blast from Bermeo welcoming a fresh MSOE arm to the contest for a 6-2 lead.
- The Spartans were not finished in the inning though as they scored twice more to take an 8-2 lead for pitcher Bryce Miller.
- Miller battled the Raiders all afternoon, allowing a base runner here and there but holding strong to maintain the 8-2 lead.
- MSOE would score once in the seventh but the Spartans responded in the eighth.
- Bermeo again was in the center of the action, leading off with a double and eventually scoring on a sac fly from Angelo.
- Miller completed the contest with a complete game victory to give his Spartan teammates a chance to play for a NACC title on Sunday.


Game One:
HITTING
HITS:  Derek Angelo, Nik Panico and Nick Czarnecki (2)
DOUBLE: Nico Bermeo, Derek Angelo and Nik Panico (1)
HOME RUN: Nick Czarnecki (1)
RUNS: Nico Bermeo (5), Nick Czarnecki (3) and Sean Rivera (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Derek Angelo (4) and Nik Panico (3)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): CJ Cazares (2.1), Brian Henehan (1.1) and Sam Harvey (5.1)
DECISIONS: Sam Harvey (win, 5-1)
STRIKEOUTS: Sam Harvey (8) and CJ Cazares (2)

Game Two:
HITTING
HITS: Derek Angelo and Nico Bermeo (3)
HOME RUN: Nico Bermeo (2) and Derek Angelo (1)
DOUBLE: Nico Bermeo (1)
RUNS: Nico Bermeo (3) and Derek Angelo (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Nico Bermeo (4) and Derek Angelo (3)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Bryce Miller (9.0)
DECISIONS: Bryce Miller (win, 3-0)
STRIKEOUTS: Bryce Miller (5)