It took an extra day of #NACCtion but for the second consecutive year, the Aurora University baseball team prevailed and are Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Champions on Mother's Day. In a winner take all NACC Tournament Championship against #1 Concordia University Chicago, the Spartans jumped all over the Cougars in the first inning and got a tremendous effort from freshman pitcher Nick "Money" Malmberg who tossed seven strong innings. AU would go on to claim their second straight NACC Baseball Tournament title with a 5-2 victory.

GAME INFORMATION – Sunday, May 13
Game Boxscore
Championship Game Score: #2 Aurora University 5, #1 Concordia University Chicago 2
Records: Aurora University (34-9)
Location: Mequon, Wisconsin - Kapco Park

Watch the final out - view here

HOW IT HAPPENED -
- The Spartans wasted no time as they exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning. AJ Gill and Dylan White had doubles with White driving in two runs. Five hits and one crucial CUC error led to AU batting around and scoring the five huge runs.
- Freshman Nick Malmberg kept the vaunted Cougar offense off balance and scoreless through six innings as he allowed just two hits.
- In the top of the seventh, senior Jeff Mayes led off with a single, his 236th of his career and moving him into first place on the AU all-time hits list.
- In the bottom of the inning, CUC loaded the bases on Malmberg with no outs. After two fly outs which scored one run, a single added another run but the Cougar runner was gunned down trying to reach second and ending the rally in AU's favor.
- Senior reliever Nick Mathey came on in relief of Malmberg in the eighth. CUC put two on but Mathey got a pop out to end that threat.
- In the ninth, Mathey set down CUC 1-2-3 with the final out going to right and into the glove of Dylan White.
- The Spartans celebrated on the mound as they sealed another NCAA Division III Baseball regional appearance and the NACC Tournament Championship.

BEYOND THE BOX
- Senior Jeff Mayes singled in the seventh for his 236 career hit and is now the Spartan all-time hits leader.
- Senior pitcher Nicholas Mathey tied the single season AU record for saves with his 12th. Tying the record set in 2006 by Ryan Fair.
- AU will make the program's 22nd NCAA appearance and second consecutive.

SPARTAN LEADERS:
HITTING
HITS: Davis Purviance (2) and Jeff Mayes (1)
DOUBLE: AJ Gill and Dylan White (1)
RUNS: Jeff Mayes, AJ Gill, Paul Dobravec, Jett Wedekind and Dylan White (3) 
RUNS BATTED IN: Dylan White (2)

PITCHING:
APPEARANCES (innings): Nick Malmberg (7.0) and Nicholas Mathey (2.0)
DECISIONS: Nick Malmberg (win, 5-1) and Nicholas Mathey (save - 12th)
STRIKEOUTS: Nick Malmberg (2) and Nicholas Mathey (1)
 
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