The Spartan baseball team travel to Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon for the 2021 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship Series.A site that is no stranger to recent AU championship celebrations was once again a willing host as the Spartans defeated the Falcons 13-5 behind a solid start from Skyler Yamamoto and big scoring innings aided by a pair of two-run home runs from Jett Wedekind and Nick Baldassano.
GAME INFORMATION
Game Score: #10 Aurora University 13, Concordia University Wisconsin 5
Record: Aurora University (37-6 overall)
Location: Mequon, Wisconsin
GAME HIGHLIGHTS -
- Spartan starting pitcher Skyler Yamamoto tossed five innings of one hit shutout baseball.
- Heading into the fifth, both teams had managed just one hit each.
- The top of the fifth saw the Spartans exploit the Falcons for a huge six run inning.
- With one out three straight Spartans (Paul Dobravec - hit by pitch; Corey Vondra - walk, Jett Wedekind - catchers interference) reached to load the bases.
- Following a CUW call to the pen, a single from Dylan White, wild pitch and dac fly gave AU a 3-0 lead.
- The AU bats weren't done though as a steal led to a throwing error to score white which was followed by a Nico Bermeo run scoring double and a Justin Sartori run scoring single.
- AU led 6-0 after 4-1/2 innings.
- Yamamoto made quick work of the Falcons in the bottom of the inning and got the now hot AU bats back to the dish.
- Walks again aided the Spartans as Vondra reached with one out and scored shortly after when Jett Wedekind hit a long home run that snuck in down the left field line. The homer put the host Falcons title hopes to bed.
- White followed with a double and when Jacob Ambuel walked and Bermeo was hit by a pitch the bases were again loaded. A wild pitch scored White for the ninth AU run.
- Following a Justin Sartori walk to load the bases again, Nick Baldassano became the second Spartan to reach on a catchers interference with Ambuel scoring. AU led 10-0.
- Jack Fisher relieved Yamamoto and tossed a scoreless bottom of the inning.
- Leading 10-0 and three outs from the mercy rule ending the game early, CUW scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to extend the game.
- With two outs in the top of the eighth and Nico Bermeo on base (reached after being hit for a second time), Nick Baldassano hit a home run to left center in front of the CUW scoreboard and pushed the lead back to 10 at 12-2.
- Again closing in on a mercy rule shortened game, CUW scored a run with two outs in the eighth to push the game to the regulation nine innings.
- Two singles and two more base on balls gave AU their 13th run of the game and going to the bottom of the ninth, the Spartans led 13-4.
- A CUW short homer in the ninth was the end of the games scoring as the Spartans celebrated on the CUW mound for a third straight tournament final, winning 13-5.
SPARTAN LEADERS -
HITTING
HITS: Dylan White (3) and Jett Wedekind (2)
RUNS: Dylan White (3), Corey Vondra, Jett Wedekind, Nico Bermeo and Jacob Ambuel (2)
RBI'S: Jett Wedekind, Nico Bermeo and Nick Baldassano (2)
HOME RUN: Jett Wedekind and Nick Baldassano (1)
DOUBLE: Dylan White and Nico Bermeo (1)
PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Skyler Yamamoto (5.0), Jack Fisher (1.2), Seth Butknecht (1.0) and Nathan Smith (1.1)
DECISIONS: Skyler Yamamoto (win 3-1)
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan baseball team comes in the NCAA Division III Regional Championship. The Spartans will find out the location, opponent and game time for the regional on Sunday, May 23 late in the night when the NCAA reveals the 2021 field. Stay tuned to athletics.aurora.edu for updates on the Spartan baseball teams NCAA regional plans.