LISLE, Ill. (naccsports.org) --- Top-seeded Aurora University claimed its eighth Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Baseball Tournament crown with a 10-9 win over second-seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering Saturday night at Benedictine University Field inside the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.
The Spartans (30-12) used a six-run seventh inning to take a 10-6 lead, then held off a late rally from the Raiders over the final two innings to capture the title.
With the victory, Aurora earns the NACC's automatic berth in the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. The full field will be announced on an NCAA.com selection show at 11 a.m. Monday, May 11.
Championship Game -- No. 1 Aurora 10, No. 2 MSOE 9
MSOE (30-13) struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning off Aurora starter Drew Piaskowy. Charlie Claas doubled to open the game, then came around to score on a Camden Hoier RBI groundout. Kyle Mayberry followed with an RBI single down the left-field line that scored AJ Le.
The Spartans countered in the bottom half of the frame on a three-run home run to center field by Ryan Buck.
Claas and Christian Bosque both drew walks to open MSOE's third inning, but they weren't on the basepaths long. After Le popped out to shortstop for the first out, Claas scored on a Hoier RBI single. Bosque scored one batter later as Kyle Mayberry reached on a fielder's choice that erased Hoier. A bunt single followed by a walk loaded the bases and ended Piaskowy's day. Jacob Maza entered the game in relief for Aurora and immediately got out of the jam as Jordan Skolmar grounded out to third base on the first pitch he saw.
After stranding two batters in the third, Isaac Goddard doubled down the left-field line to open the bottom of the fourth, then moved to third on a Matthew Washington single to left before scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game at 4-4.
Maza allowed just one baserunner in both the fourth and fifth innings but ran into a bit of distress in the sixth as Skolmar singled to third to open the frame. Skolmar moved to third base courtesy of a sacrifice bunt and a failed pickoff attempt, then scored on a two-out RBI single up the middle by Bosque. Bosque then scored on an AJ Le single through the right side to put MSOE up 6-4 after six innings.
Maza worked around a single and a pair of walks to pitch a scoreless seventh inning. The Spartans rallied for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to grab a 10-6 lead. Zack Tarrant reached after being hit by a pitch, then moved around on back-to-back singles from Kyle Mack and Tyler Patton before scoring when Ryan Buck drew a bases-loaded walk. Mack followed on a sacrifice fly by Nick Czarnecki, while Patton scored when Goddard reached on an error. A misplay on a Matthew Washington single to center allowed Goddard and Buck to score later in the inning, while Washington gave Aurora a 10-6 lead when he scored on an RBI single by Isaac Wendler.
Maza pitched into the eighth inning before being lifted in favor of Noah Schlup after Claas led off the frame with a single to right field. Consecutive singles by Le and Hoier loaded the bases before Mayberry struck out looking for the second out. Pinch-hitter Ben Sullivan singled to plate Claas, while Hoier and Le scored scored on a two-run single to right field by Teo Greco to cut the deficit to just one run at 10-9. Schlup was able to stop the MSOE rally by striking out Skolmar to end the inning.
Aurora came close to adding to its advantage in the eighth as Kyle Mack doubled and Ryan Buck singled to third base to put runners on the corners. Alex Panico came in to run for Buck and promptly stole second, but Czarnecki struck out to end the inning.
Conner Hogan, who threw a complete game to win Aurora's tournament opener Thursday, came into pitch the ninth for the Spartans. He retired the first two batters on a deep fly ball to center field and a strikeout before Bosque reached on a double to left. AJ Le worked an eight-pitch walk to put the go-ahead run on for MSOE, but Hoier flew out to Panico to end the game.
Maza (6-2) picked up the win on the mount, scattering seven hits and two walks while striking out eight over 4-2/3 innings. Hogan picked up the save, striking out one while allowing one hit and one walk in the ninth inning.
Mack, Buck, and Washington each had two hits to lead the Spartans with Buck driving in a game-high four RBIs.
MSOE starting pitcher Kaleb Martin (2-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and a pair of walks over 6-1/3 innings.
Bosque and Robby Erickson both had three hits, while Claas, Le, and Hoier had two apiece as the Raiders outhit the Spartans, 16-10. MSOE also left 13 runners on base. Skolmar and Aurora left-fielder Nick Czarnecki were each stranded on the basepaths five times in the contest.
No. 2 MSOE 15, No. 3 Concordia Chicago 13
MSOE advanced to the championship game after winning a 15-13 slugfest over Concordia Chicago earlier in the day. The Cougars scored two runs in the top of the first inning, added four in the second, and led 7-2 after three-and-a-half innings before MSOE erupted for 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Raiders added two runs in the sixth and another in the eighth to keep an aggressive CUC offense from fully erasing the lead.
Charlie Claas had two hits and three RBIs on a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly. Jake Franks added three RBIs and three runs scored, reaching on a pair of errors and a walk, while Christian Bosque and Kyle Mayberry each had two RBIs.
Jake Mahler did his best to keep the Cougars in the game, going 4-for 6 with five RBIs. He put CUC on the board with a two-run homer in the first inning, then added RBI singles in the second and seventh frames and an RBI groundout in the ninth as the Cougars tried to extend the match.
Brendan Holloway was 3-for-6 with four RBIs and leadoff hitter Cam Buckley was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored.
MSOE relief pitcher Max Babich (3-0) came on in relief in the fourth inning and went the rest of the way to pick up the win. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 11 hits and two walks while striking out seven over 5-1/3 innings.
2026 NACC Baseball All-Tournament Team
Conner Hogan, Jr., LHP, Aurora (MVP)
Ryan Buck, Sr., OF, Aurora
Joe Lukancic, Jr., 3B, Aurora
Tyler Patton, Sr., C, Aurora
Max Babich, Sr., LHP, MSOE
AJ Le, Sr., OF, MSOE
Aagam Shah, Sr., RHP, MSOE
Spencer Geake, Jr., OF, Benedictine
Matt Purta, Fr., RHP, Benedictine
Kyle Connolly, So., RHP, Concordia Chicago
Jake Mahler, Sr., 3B, Concordia Chicago