The top-seed Aurora University baseball team took on the second-seed Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders in the NACC Championship game Saturday evening. A hard fought back-and-fourth battle between the two squads ended with The Spartans winning 10-9, to reclaim the title of NACC Tournament Champions!
Game Score: Aurora University 10, Milwaukee School of Engineering 9
Record: Aurora University 31-12 overall , Milwaukee School of Engineering 30-14 overall
Location: Lisle, Illinois
- The Raiders tacked on two early runs in their first chances.
- AU quickly responded when Kyle Mack and Zack Tarrant got on base for Ryan Buck who launched a monster three-run shot over the center field wall to take the lead.
- MSOE would tally two more in the third to take a 4-3 lead.
- Isaac Goddard scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to tie the game at four.
- MSOE scored twice more in the sixth leading by two runs now.
- Then a monster six run seventh for the Spartans put them out to a more comfortable lead.
- A bases loaded walk for Buck, followed by a Nick Czarnecki SAC fly were the first two runs.
- Multiple errors by the Raiders led to the next three runs, and those were followed by an Isaac Wendler RBI single to center.
- AU now led 10-6 after seven innings of play.
- The Raiders brought down that comfortable lead with three more runs in the eighth inning.
- MSOE tried to comeback in the final innings, but ultimately, they would fall short.
- AU would go on to win 10-9, become NACC Tournament Champions and punch their ticket to NCAA tournament!
Hitting
HITS: Kyle Mack, Ryan Buck, and Matthew Washington (2)
HOME RUNS: Ryan Buck (1)
DOUBLES: Kyle Mack and Isaac Goddard (1)
RUNS: Isaac Goddard, Kyle Mack, Zack Tarrant and Ryan Buck (2)
RUNS BATTED IN: Ryan Buck (4)
PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Jacob Maza (4.2), Drew Piaskowy (2.2) Conner Hogan (1.0) and Noah Schlup (0.2)
DECISIONS: Jacob Maza (win, 4-2) and Conner Hogan (save, 2)
STRIKEOUTS: Jacob Maza (8), Noah Schlup (2), Conner Hogan and Drew Piaskowy (1)
The next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Monday, May 11th when the NCAA Division III Baseball Selection Show unveils the tournament field on ncaa.com.
