Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
VERONA, Wis. - Much like their Northern Athletics Conference opener last weekend, the Edgewood College baseball team won the opening game of their doubleheader with Aurora University but lost their offense punch in dropping the second game. The Eagles used a huge seventh inning to beat the Spartans 10-3, but then managed only four hits in an 11-0 setback.
The Eagles and Spartans traded single runs in each of the first five innings, with Aurora University (11-6, 3-1 NAC) holding a 3-2 lead. The Spartans added two runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single from Tim Mackey and an RBI groundout by Josh Davidson, but the dam broke open for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning.
Trailing 5-2, Edgewood College (7-9, 2-2 NAC) put the first eight batters of the seventh inning on base safely. Jake Zadra drove in a run with an RBI single and Mike Selvaggi plated another by drawing a bases loaded walk to cut the score to 5-4. Freshman Alex Jaskulski then delivered the big blow with a two-run double to center field to give the Eagles their first lead of the game. Scott Ortega and Ryan O'Dell added RBI singles as the Eagles posted eight runs in the seventh inning to grab a 10-7 lead.
The Spartans rallied for a run in the ninth and had the bases loaded with one out. Edgewood College turned to Blake Hunt who got the second out of the inning on a run-scoring groundout. Eagle closer Connor Lenz then entered and caught the Spartans' Ryan Payne looking for a game-ending strikeout.
O'Dell led the Eagles at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and a double. Ortega, Zadra and Jaskulski each had two hits apiece with Jaskulski adding a double as well. Reliever Tony Ales won his first game of the season by finishing the seventh inning for starter Blake O'Brien. O'Brien gave up just three earned runs on eight hits and struck out seven Spartans in 6.1 innings of work. Lenz earned his team-high fourth save of the season.
The Eagles had high hopes for a sweep in game two, but the Spartans' Brett VanAsdlen smacked a grand slam home run off Eagle starter Kyle Smith in the first inning to give Aurora a 4-0 lead. Aurora tacked on single runs in the third and fourth innings, before racking up five runs on seven hits in the seventh inning and ending the game by virtue of the 10-run rule.
Aurora pitcher Stephen Sitterly fired a complete game, four-hit shutout at Edgewood College. Sitterly struck out five and walked only two. Walker went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to seven straight games. Kyle Fischer went 1-for-2 and has now reached base safely in eight straight games. Smith took the loss for Edgewood College, allowing five earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched.
Edgewood College will host "Strike Out Cancer" Day to benefit the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation on Saturday at Stampfl Field in Verona. The Eagles will play Concordia University Chicago in a doubleheader which begins at 3:00 p.m.
Box Score (Game 2)
VERONA, Wis. - Much like their Northern Athletics Conference opener last weekend, the Edgewood College baseball team won the opening game of their doubleheader with Aurora University but lost their offense punch in dropping the second game. The Eagles used a huge seventh inning to beat the Spartans 10-3, but then managed only four hits in an 11-0 setback.
The Eagles and Spartans traded single runs in each of the first five innings, with Aurora University (11-6, 3-1 NAC) holding a 3-2 lead. The Spartans added two runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single from Tim Mackey and an RBI groundout by Josh Davidson, but the dam broke open for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning.
Trailing 5-2, Edgewood College (7-9, 2-2 NAC) put the first eight batters of the seventh inning on base safely. Jake Zadra drove in a run with an RBI single and Mike Selvaggi plated another by drawing a bases loaded walk to cut the score to 5-4. Freshman Alex Jaskulski then delivered the big blow with a two-run double to center field to give the Eagles their first lead of the game. Scott Ortega and Ryan O'Dell added RBI singles as the Eagles posted eight runs in the seventh inning to grab a 10-7 lead.
The Spartans rallied for a run in the ninth and had the bases loaded with one out. Edgewood College turned to Blake Hunt who got the second out of the inning on a run-scoring groundout. Eagle closer Connor Lenz then entered and caught the Spartans' Ryan Payne looking for a game-ending strikeout.
O'Dell led the Eagles at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and a double. Ortega, Zadra and Jaskulski each had two hits apiece with Jaskulski adding a double as well. Reliever Tony Ales won his first game of the season by finishing the seventh inning for starter Blake O'Brien. O'Brien gave up just three earned runs on eight hits and struck out seven Spartans in 6.1 innings of work. Lenz earned his team-high fourth save of the season.
The Eagles had high hopes for a sweep in game two, but the Spartans' Brett VanAsdlen smacked a grand slam home run off Eagle starter Kyle Smith in the first inning to give Aurora a 4-0 lead. Aurora tacked on single runs in the third and fourth innings, before racking up five runs on seven hits in the seventh inning and ending the game by virtue of the 10-run rule.
Aurora pitcher Stephen Sitterly fired a complete game, four-hit shutout at Edgewood College. Sitterly struck out five and walked only two. Walker went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to seven straight games. Kyle Fischer went 1-for-2 and has now reached base safely in eight straight games. Smith took the loss for Edgewood College, allowing five earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched.
Edgewood College will host "Strike Out Cancer" Day to benefit the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation on Saturday at Stampfl Field in Verona. The Eagles will play Concordia University Chicago in a doubleheader which begins at 3:00 p.m.