Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

AURORA, Ill. - The Benedictine University baseball team completed its opening weekend of conference play by splitting with the preseason favorites, Aurora, on Monday.

GAME ONE: Aurora 12, Benedictine 10
Aurora's Cory Walden drove home six runs and hit a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to capture a back and forth opener.

Benedictine was able to overcome deficits of 5-0 and 7-3 to take a lead into the ninth inning before the heroics from Walden. Homers from Tim Hendricks, John Cervantes, and Kevin Hendricks helped lead the comeback effort. The longball for Cervantes was his third of the season.

The Eagles put together three three-run innings in the game and bashed 16 hits including five for extra bases, but couldn't shut the door in the ninth for the win after an RBI single from Ryan Mullin handed Benedictine a 10-9 lead entering the last of the frame.

Kevin Hendricks and Nick Karakosta tallied three hits each in the defeat, which halted a season best four-game win streak. Tim Hendricks, Mullin, Tom Higgins, and Mike Luschen collected two each as eight individuals posted a hit in the game.

GAME TWO: Benedictine 9, Aurora 4
Eager to put behind the game one disappointment, Benedictine raced to a 7-0 lead in the second contest, setting the tone early with two runs in the first.

Chris Jordan did the rest, pitching a complete game, the first of the season for Benedictine. Jordan allowed just two earned runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out three.

Karakosta drew a one-out walk in the first and moved to third on an error. Kevin Hendricks continued his strong doubleheader with a single to score Karakosta. Tim Gindville also notched an RBI single in the inning. Kevin Hendricks was part of a four-run second as well with another RBI single. Cervantes contributed a two-run single in the inning and Mullin sslo drove home a run.

Kevin Hendricks finished 4-for-4 in the game with a pair of RBIs while Karakosta posted three hits including a triple. Mike Loni also posted two hits in the win as Benedictine stroked 12 total. Hendricks finished with seven hits in the doubleheader while Cervantes drove home three in the second game to go with two in the opener.

Benedictine (11-4, 3-1) is tied with Aurora for second in the conference following the first weekend, trailing only Rockford, who had two games postponed due to weather.