Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

AURORA, Ill. – The Edgewood College softball team ended their weekend trip to Chicago with a pair of losses to Aurora University. The Spartans took game one 3-0 behind a one-hit shutout by pitcher Natalie Zanella. Edgewood College jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two, but Aurora scored in every inning to take the 10-5 decision.

Following back-to-back outs to start the game, Jessica Spitzer ripped double to left center. However, Aurora pitcher Zanella got out of the inning and began to settle in. Zanella only allowed two base runners, Spitzer's hit and she walked Alyssa Schulting in the second inning. She ended the game with nine strikeouts.

The Spartan offense struck with a two-out run in the first inning as Samantha Angell started a rally with a single. Mia Henderson pinch ran for Angell and promptly stole second before scoring on a single to put Aurora ahead.

Aurora scored again in the fourth inning when Lillie Stone drove in a run with a groundout and pinch hitter Stephanie Lynch ripped a run scoring single, giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead. That was all Zanella need as she retired the last 17 batters she faced.

Charlie Leikness pitched well, but took another tough luck loss, allowing three runs on eight hits, and striking out three batters against zero walks. Spitzer recorded the only Eagle hit in the game.

Emily Monson started game two with an infield single and Alexis Unser followed with a double. Spitzer loaded the bases with an infield single before Carlene DeCoster scored Monson with a single to left field. Katie Landon was hit by a pitch to score a run and Paityn Albers laced a single to centerfield to put the Eagles (10-20, 3-13 NAC) up 3-0. However, Spartan pitcher Hope Webster got the final out to strand the bases loaded.

Aurora (20-12, 15-3 NAC) got on the board in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly. The Spartans then tied the game with two runs in the second inning. Aurora used a squeeze bunt and sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3 after two innings. Angell started the Spartan half of the third with a ground rule double and later came in to score on a single to give Aurora the lead for good. Aurora tacked on two more runs in the inning to stretch their lead to 6-3 after three.

The Spartans added one run in the fourth inning, two in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning to take a 10-3 lead going to the seventh inning. Spitzer tried to spark an Eagle comeback as she led off the seventh with a triple. She later scored on a Landon single to cut the deficit to six runs. After moving to second on a groundout, Landon scored on an Albers single to centerfield. However, Aurora pitcher Ashley Kellenberg got the next out to preserve the 10-5 victory.

Monson led the offense, going 3-for-4 and scoring one run from the leadoff spot. Spitzer and DeCoster each went 2-for-4 with Spitzer scoring two runs scored and DeCoster driving in two. Albers also drove in two runs for the Eagles.

The Eagles will be in action again on Tuesday when the travel to Wisconsin Lutheran College. First pitch from Milwaukee is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.