Montgomery, Ill. — The Illinois Tech baseball (21-19, 15-9) finished the regular season against Aurora University (28-12, 20-4) during a doubleheader on Friday at Jim Schmid Field, suffering a 13-3 defeat in the first game and an 11-0 loss in the second. Despite managing eight hits and showing flashes of offensive potential, the Scarlet Hawks couldn't keep pace with the Spartans, who combined for 24 runs and 22 hits over the two games.
Game 1 Recap
Illinois Tech opened the first game with a promising start.
Jack Friar singled to left field and later scored on
Philip Bentz's single up the middle. Bentz advanced to third and scored on a throwing error following
Tyler Gutsfeld's single, giving Illinois Tech a 2-0 lead. However, the Spartans quickly responded with a sacrifice fly that brought Joe Lukancic home, cutting the lead to 2-1 at the end of the first inning.
Aurora took control in the third inning, scoring eight runs. The scoring began with Ryan Buck's RBI single, followed by an Isaac Goddard double that cleared the bases. Zack Tarrant capped the inning with a three-run homer to center field, extending Aurora's lead to 9-2 through three innings.
In the fourth inning, Illinois Tech added a run as
Logan Inman scored on
Jonah Wilkes's single up the middle. Nevertheless, Aurora extended its lead with three more runs, including a two-RBI single by Matthew Washington, making the score 12-3 after four innings. Aurora added another run in the sixth inning, resulting in a final score of 13-3.
Scarlet Hawk Pitchers (Game 1)
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Andrew Stanislawski: 2 1/3 innings, 7 earned runs, 7 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks
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John Moran: 2/3 inning, 5 earned runs, 5 hits, 1 strikeout
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Carson Weis: 3 innings, 1 earned run, 2 hits, 1 strikeout
Scarlet Hawk Standouts (Game 1)
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Philip Bentz: 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
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Quinton Riepl: 1 hit, 1 double
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Carson Weis: 3 innings pitched, 2 hits allowed, 1 earned run, 1 strikeout
Aurora Top Performers (Game 1)
- Zack Tarrant: 3 RBIs, 1 home run, 1 walk
- Isaac Goddard: 2 runs, 3 RBIs, 1 double
- Nick Czarnecki: 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 RBI
Game 2 Recap
In the second game, Illinois Tech fell to Aurora with a final score of 11-0. The Spartans secured the victory with an eight-run second inning, showcasing their offensive prowess.
The game began quietly, with both teams held scoreless in the first inning. However, Aurora exploded in the second inning, scoring eight runs with Tyler Patton's single and a series of hits, including RBI singles from Isaac Goddard and Matthew Washington. Zack Tarrant added a two-RBI single to extend the lead, finishing the inning with an 8-0 advantage.
In the third inning, Aurora added another run when Lukancic doubled and Tarrant followed with an RBI double, increasing their lead to 9-0. The Spartans continued their scoring in the fourth inning with Jaden Holgado delivering a two-RBI single, pushing the lead to 11-0. Although
Logan Inman provided some offensive highlights with two doubles for Illinois Tech, the team could not bring any runs home, leading to an 11-0 loss.
Scarlet Hawk Pitchers (Game 2)
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John Gori: 1 inning, 7 earned runs, 7 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
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Cullen Fulling: 2 innings, 1 earned run, 4 hits, 1 strikeout
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Joseph Belflower: 1 inning, 2 earned runs, 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
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Alexander Lazes: 2 innings, 0 earned runs, 1 hit allowed
Scarlet Hawk Standouts (Game 2)
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Logan Inman: 2 hits, 2 doubles
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Cullen Fulling: 2 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 strikeout
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Alexander Lazes: 2 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed
Spartans Top Performers (Game 2)
- Joe Lukancic: 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 double
- Zack Tarrant: 1 run, 2 hits, 3 RBIs, 1 double
- Edgar Barba: 6 innings pitched, 9 strikeouts, 0 earned runs, 4 hits allowed
Game Notes
- Illinois Tech falls to 4-15 lifetime against Aurora.
Up Next
Looking ahead, Illinois Tech will host the 2026 NACC Baseball Tournament on Thursday, May 7 at 2 p.m. CT in Lisle, Illinois.
