Game Six Recap
AURORA SHUTS DOWN NORTH CENTRAL IN FIVE-INNING GAME
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Aurora University (Ill.) took an 8-0 victory in five innings over North Central College (Ill.), to advance in the 2008 NCAA Division III Softball Regional Championship in Eau Claire on Gelein Field today.
The loss finished North Central’s season with a 29-12 record. Aurora improved to 36-7 on the season. Aurora, which has already lost once on Thursday in the double-elimination tournament, will play again at 10 a.m. on Saturday against the loser of the St. Thomas-Simpson College game that is being played at 4 p.m. Friday.
Aurora put together back-to-back three-run innings in the second and third to put the pressure on North Central. In the second, Shannon Starr scored the first run for the Spartans, on a double by Briana Martin. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs, a double by Dan Cebular drove in two more runs. Beth Okrie also attempted to score but was thrown out at home to end the inning. In the third, Nikki Veen, Julie Beenes and Kendra Ganzer all picked up runs for Aurora.
The Spartans then scored two more in the fourth. The first run came after an error by North Central’s Kaylee Noll, when she dropped the ball at home plate. Karisa Hansen scored an unearned run on the play while Veen also scored. The game would then end in the fifth on the eight-run rule.
Anna Snyder picked up the win for the Spartans, improving her record to 23-4 on the season. She faced 18 batters, struck out six and allowed three hits. The loss went to Jenna Pierto, who ended the season with a record of 14-5. She allowed three runs, one of which was earned, and three hits facing eight batters. Kelli Loeffel and Lindsay Winegard also pitched for the Cardinals.
