The Aurora University Spartans, #7 seed in the Midwest Regional at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated #2 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 2-1 in the fourth game of the opening day of the 2012 regional.

AU starting pitcher, junior Drew Gay was dominant in his complete game performance, striking out seven and scattering seven hits and giving up just one run.

The Spartans got out to a quick lead in the top of the second inning. Senior first baseman Brett Van Asdlen led off with a sharply hit single to left. One out later, junior outfielder Mike Foley hit a ground-rule double to right center field, giving the Spartans runners on second and third with one out. Senior outfielder Josh Davidson singled to center scoring both Van Asdlen and Foley for a 2-0 lead.

Gay took the lead and ran with it, limiting the Eagles to two hits over the next four innings, while the Spartans threatened again in the top of the fifth inning.

In the fifth, senior Tim Mackey doubled with one out. With two outs, senior Ryan Adams and Van Asdlen both walked to load the bases but La Crosse pitcher Tim Verthein got junior Cory Walden to strikeout to end the AU scoring chance.

In the bottom of the sixth La Crosse took advantage of some Spartan defensive miscues with balls lost in the Whitewater night sky. A double, single and double scored one run for the Eagles but Gay focused in and got back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam.

AU responded in the top of the seventh by once again loading the bases. Mackey got the Spartans started with a one-out single. Freshman second baseman Carlos Olavarria singled to left. With two-outs Van Asdlen drew a walk to load the bases. Junior Ryan McMahon pinch hit for Walden and drew a call to the La Crosse bullpen. McMahon lined out to right center field to end the Spartan chance.

Over the final three innings, both teams could only scratch out one hit, with La Crosse getting a two-out single in the seventh.

Gay shutout down the middle of the La Crosse order in the eighth and got two strikeouts and then the final out came as a flyout to left giving the Spartans the 2-1 win.

With the win, AU is now 37-8 overall and on the season and next action for the Spartan baseball team comes on Thursday, May 17 when they take on the College of St. Scholastica in the 2012 Midwest Regional hosted by UW-Whitewater. AU will play at 7 pm in Whitewater, Wis.