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FOND du LAC, Wis. - The Benedictine University baseball team has reached Championship Saturday in the Northern Athletics Conference Tournament. The Eagles will rematch with third-seeded Concordia University Chicago at 10:00 a.m. for the right to face top-sseded Aurora University in the conference championship.

Benedictine opened the day with a resounding 8-1 win over third seeded Concordia Chicago. Mike Irgang pitched eight solid innings to record the victory.

Concordia Chicago came up with a run in the top of the first but did not score again. Benedictine immediately responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to grab the lead. Uli Ortiz drew a one out walk and Ryan Mullin reached on an error. John Cervantes extended his on base streak with a walk to load the bases. Tim Gindville singled in a run to tie the game and Nick Karakosta followed with a double to score two, extend his hitting streak, and putting Benedictine ahead. Tim Hendricks drew a walk and Steve Cocat finished the rally with an RBI single. The runs came against Dan Kluss, who threw a near perfect-game against Benedictine earlier this season.

The Eagles added runs in the second and third to jump ahead 6-1. Mullin doubled in the second and scored on a groundout by Cervantes. Karakosta singled to lead off the third and crossed the plate when Jake Passini singled.

The final two runs of the game scored in the bottom of the eighth. Passini hit his first homer of the season leading off the inning. With two on and two out pinch-hitter Adam Carroll doubled in the final run of the day.

Irgang pitched eight innings and walked five while striking out four to improve to 4-2. Benedictine smashed 13 hits in the win. Karakosta posted three hits with Mullin, Gindville, and Passini posting two apiece. Ortiz walked three times and scored three runs.

Unblemished following the first two games of the tourney, the Eagles had a chance to reach the championship but were nipped 3-2 by top-seeded Aurora in the final game of the day.

Aurora scored three first inning runs against Kevin Crowley to account for all of the offense. Crowley settled in and threw a complete game, striking out seven.

Benedictine (28-15) was able to chip away at the lead with runs in the sixth and ninth, but fell just short. Ortiz walked to lead off the sixth and scored with two away when Karakosta doubled. The ninth inning saw Cocat hit by a pitch and Hendricks single with one away before the Spartans brought in their closer. Dan Zust was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Ortiz drove home a run with a fielder's choice before Mullin struck out swinging, stranding the tying run at third and go ahead run at second.

Ortiz and Karakosta each posted two hits while Cervantes continued his on base streak with a hit as well.