LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team played a long two-game series that ended in a sweep for the Aurora Spartans. A 14-inning first game ended in the Spartans favor with a 5-4 victory to lead off the series. Despite the loss, it was the longest game in Rockford softball history with the 14 innings played. The two sides had yet another extra inning game in game two, with Aurora coming out on top in the eighth inning 4-2.
Aurora 5 Rockford 4
- Rockford got the first run if the game, a sacrifice fly from Emily Down scored Bella Lima to make the score 1-0.
- Aurora didn't respond until the third inning, with a single scoring a Spartans runner from second to even the score 1-1.
- Bella Lima delivered the tie breaker with an inside the park home run that scored herself and Jennifer Ruesch to take a 3-1 lead.
- Aurora took a run back when a single to center field brought in Alex Thiel from second to bring the score to 3-2.
- The Spartans managed a sacrifice fly to tie the game at three. A single on the next at-bat to left center scored Emma Bachio to give Aurora the lead 4-3.
- Bella Lima stepped up again in the sixth, scoring Olivia Lysaght from second to even the score again.
- What happened next was a quiet seven innings of action. Neither side could score to separate the tie.
- The Spartans finally broke the tie in the top of the 14th inning. Alex Thiel was once again in scoring position and came in on a single by Ty Chambers to take the 5-4 lead.
- With two outs, Candace Kipp singled, but Aurora recorded the final out to take the win in 14 innings 5-4.
- With the Aurora win, Rockford broke the record for longest game in school history with 14 innings played.
Aurora 4 Rockford 2
- Aurora Spartans led off the game with the first run, scoring from second, making it 1-0.
- The Regents came back, however, with a two-run single from Candace Kipp to give the Regents the lead 2-1.
- A fourth inning single by Faith Biggs brought in Alex Thiel for the Spartans to tie the game 2-2.
- The Spartans added two runs on a single and a sacrifice fly to take a two-run lead in the eighth inning, leaving Rockford with one at bat to comeback.
- The Regents went down in order to end the eighth and give the Spartans the win 4-2.
Game 1
Game 2
