MONTGOMERY, Ill. – Aurora University scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning and finished a doubleheader sweep of the Lakeland University softball team with a 5-3 victory Monday afternoon at Bedrosian Stadium.
The Spartans also defeated the Muskies 7-0 in the first game. Aurora stayed hot, improving to 22-2 overall and 10-0 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference while Lakeland dropped to 7-6 overall and 2-2 in conference.
The Muskies were playing for the first time in eight days and just their second date in a month after numerous games postponed or canceled due to weather. An already tall task was made even more difficult against the streaking Spartans, who came in having won eight games in a row and 13 of their last 14.
Aurora's pitchers held Lakeland to a combined seven hits over the two games, including a three-hit shutout by Hannah Tomasko in the opener. The Spartans scored all the runs they would need with three in the third inning and added two more each in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Muskies were much better from the start of the second game, scoring twice in the top of the first inning.
Hannah Nelson (
So.-Loves Park, Ill.) led off the game with a double and scored on a triple by
Juliana Hall (
Jr.-Portage, Ind.). Hall came in soon after when
Cheyenne Mathas (
Sr.-St. John, Ind.) singled to right center for a 2-0 lead.
Aurora came back to tie in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run by Ashley Talaga, but Lakeland went back ahead in the third when
Madi Johnson (
So.-Vernon Hills, Ill.) reached and went to second on an error, stole third and scored on an RBI groundout to the right side by Hall. The Spartans would tie with another homer in the fourth, a solo shot by Alexa Rayborn, and yet another round-tripper put the hosts ahead when Shelby Linn's two-run homer in the sixth was the game's deciding hit.
Hall and Nelson both had two hits each on the day to lead the Muskies hitting.
Skylar Hall (
So.-Negaunee, Mich.) took the loss in the first game, allowing seven hits and five runs (two earned) over four innings.
Makenna Hullinger (
Fr.-St. John, Ind.) pitched a complete game in the nightcap and allowed six hits and five runs with three strikeouts.
Lakeland is back home Wednesday when it hosts Edgewood College for two games starting at 2:30 p.m.
