LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford University softball team dropped a pair of games 11-1 and 10-2 to the Aurora University Spartans in a Sunday afternoon NACC doubleheader. Rockford fell behind early in game one, with a 2-run first by the Spartans, giving them an early 2-0 lead, but the Regents cut the lead in half with one of their own in their half of the 1st to make it 2-1. Unfortunately, the Spartans were able to score in each of the next three innings to get out to a commanding 11-1 lead and ultimately take game one via the mercy rule. In game two, the Spartans struck first again, this time with a 6-run 2nd inning to put Aurora up 6-0 to begin the game. Aurora was able to plate another run in the 3rd, but the Regents were able to cut into the lead with a 2-run bottom of the 3rd to make it a 7-2 game. Again the Spartans were able to score in the top of the 5th, adding two more onto their lead to make it a 10-2 game, Rockford did battle until the end, getting the run they needed in scoring position in the bottom of the 5th, but Aurora was able to hold on and secure the win.
Aurora 11 Rockford 1
- The Spartans were able to get on the board early with a 2-run top of the 1st on a 2-run double to put Aurora up 2-0.
- The Regents were able to cut the lead in half, getting a 1-out single from Olivia Lysaght and after getting to second on a fielder's choice she later scored on an error to make it a 2-1 game.
- Aurora erupted for a 5-run top of the 2nd, to catapult themselves into a 7-1 cushion and tacked on with 2 more in the top of the 3rd to make it a 9-1 game.
- Rockford was able to get a base runner in their half of the third to try and cut into the lead but were not able to get anything going.
- The Spartans were able to push across two more in the top of the 4th to make it an 11-1 lead.
- The Regents were able to get the lead-off batter on in each of the next two innings and had a chance to continue the game, getting the run they needed up to the plate in the bottom of the 5th, but the Spartans were able to close out the game and take game one.
Aurora 10 Rockford 2
- Aurora struck first again in game two, this time in the top of the 2nd with a big 6-run inning that saw two 3-run home runs, to put the Spartans up 6-0.
- The Spartans tacked on another in the top of the 3rd to make it 7-0.
- Rockford was able to cut into the lead in the bottom of the 3rd thanks to an RBI single by Mariah Martinez to make it 7-1 and then an RBI single to left-center by Emily Down to make it 7-2.
- Aurora struck again in the top of the 5th with a 2-run inning thanks to a 2-run single that made it a 10-2 game.
- Rockford did battle until the end, getting the run they needed into scoring position, but the Spartans were able to hold on again and take game two to complete the sweep.
Game 1
Game 2
