Spartans Named NIIC Players of the Week

AURORA, Ill. April 26, 2005 - Aurora, Ill., April 26, 2005 (www.aurora.edu) – Aurora University student athletes, for the third time this season, have received the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) baseball and softball conference player of the week awards. AU baseball player senior third baseman Brian Brandenburg (Batavia, Ill./Batavia HS) was named NIIC Baseball Player of the Week and AU softball player junior pitcher Elizabeth Parker (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) was named NIIC Softball Player of the Week for the week ending April 24, 2005.

Brandenburg led the AU Spartan baseball team to a 3-0 record on the week, with wins over Benedictine University (7-3) and Concordia University (WI) (10-6, 13-8). Brandenburg sparked the Spartans’ offense by batting .600 (6 of 10) with a 1.700 slugging percentage, three home runs, two doubles, eight runs batted in, and five runs scored. In the double-header sweep of non-conference opponent Concordia University (WI), Brandenburg went three for six with three home runs, seven runs batted in, four runs scored, and two walks. Currently, Brandenburg is hitting .396 for the 23-5 Spartans, with six home runs, seven doubles, 32 runs scored, 29 runs batted in, a .656 slugging percentage, and is six of six on the bases.

Parker helped lead the AU softball team to a 4-0 record on the week and improved the Spartans to 27-4-1 on the season. Parker improved her record to 9-3 overall, going 2-0 on the week with wins over nationally ranked University of Chicago and Clarke College. In the AU 3-0 win over Clarke, Parker threw a perfect game with three strikeouts. In 14 innings pitched on the week, she struck out seven and allowed just five hits. Currently on the year, Petersen has a 1.19 earned run average, six complete games, and five shutouts.

Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Thursday, April 28, when they travel to Monmouth College in a non-conference double header beginning at 3:00 p.m.

The Spartan baseball team is in action next on Tuesday, April 26, when they travel to Carthage College in a non-conference game at 3:00 p.m. and again on Wednesday, April 27, 2005, when they travel to Elmhurst College for a 3:00 p.m. non-conference contest.

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