AURORA, Ill. – Edgewood College (8-14, 2-6 NACC) was swept by NACC-leading Aurora University (18-6, 8-0 NACC) Sunday afternoon at Stuart Sportsplex. In game one, a big second inning for the host Spartans propelled them to a 12-2 win while Eagles pitchers allowed just two earned runs in the second game but still fell 13-0.
In game one, the heavy-hitting Spartans got to Eagles starting pitcher Karlie Klossner quickly with two runs in the first. The floodgates opened in the second as the Spartans rattled off six hits and were aided by Edgewood College's three errors in the field. The Spartans extended their lead to 8-0 after the inning and clubbed two home runs.
The Eagles generated their only offense in the next half inning. Sydney Cramer walked to lead off the inning while Jackie Diesch doubled down the left field line one batter later. Sabrina Maicke brought around Cramer with a single to left and Diesch came around during the next at-bat on an error.
The Eagles went down 1-2-3 in the fourth while Maicke added another single in the fifth but the Eagles couldn't close the gap to fewer than the eight-run mercy rule. Maicke wound up 3-for-3 while Diesch and Rachel DeJongh provided the other hits for the Eagles. Klossner got the loss after allowing six earned while Shannon Whitmus came on in relief and allowed three earned over 2.2 innings.
Edgewood College starter Rachel DeJongh pitched a 1-2-3 first inning in the second game but ran into trouble in the second. The Spartans scored six in the inning, although the defense behind DeJongh recorded two errors that ended up resulting in all six being unearned.
Two more unearned runs came across in the third to give the Spartans an 8-0 lead while they added five more on six hits and an error in the fourth.
The Eagles, still without a hit entering the fifth inning, finally got some baserunners in their final trip to the plate. DeJongh singled with one out while Sabrina Luedtke was hit by a pitch two batters later, but the Spartans' sophomore pitcher Angel Guerra got out of the inning unscathed.
DeJongh ended up going 3.2 innings and allowed only two earned runs while Whitmus entered in relief to record the final out.
The Eagles return to action on Wednesday, April 13 for more NACC play. They travel to Rockford University that day for a noon doubleheader at Smith Athletic Field.
