FRANKLIN, Wisconsin – The MSOE baseball team hit three home runs in the ninth inning of game one, including a tie-breaking, two-run shot by junior Owen Burnikel, to earn a split with Aurora in a NACC doubleheader Sunday afternoon.

The Raiders (17-14, 8-6 NACC) defeated the Spartans (20-14, 9-7 NACC) 8-6 in game one but were unable to repeat the comeback in game two, falling 6-4.

In the opener, MSOE trailed Aurora 6-2 heading to the eighth inning before rallying for a pair of runs to set the stage for an exciting ninth inning.

With one out, sophomore Nick Gross doubled to get things started. Then, junior Garrett Willems plated him with another double two batters later. Senior Brad Schonder pinch ran for Willems, then scored when freshman D.J. Ellifson singled through the right side to make it 6-4.

Ellifson then took the mound in the ninth inning and sent AU down 1-2-3 with a strikeout.

Sophomore Andres Oselio led off the ninth inning with a home run to left field to make it a one-run game. After back-to-back fly outs, junior Jimmy Carrington hit a home run to tie the score. Gross followed with a single and Burnikel then homered to left centerfield to end the game.

The Spartans had jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the game with two runs in each of the first two innings. The Raiders pulled a run back in the bottom of the second on an error, just to see the visitors re-assert the four-run advantage with a run in the third.

In the fourth inning, Ellifson and junior Max Kemp hit back-to-back singles with one out. Then, two batters later, senior Brandon McCumber drove in a run with another single. Once again, however, AU counter with a single run, this time in the fifth inning, to take a 6-2 lead.

Ellifson (2-0) picked up the win on the mound. He hurled 3.1 innings of two-hit, scoreless relief with three strikeouts.

Ellifson, Willems, Gross, and McCumber had two hits each in the game.

The second game followed a similar script to the opener, with Aurora jumping out to a 4-0 lead with a run in the first inning and a three-run third inning.

Burnikel pulled back a pair of runs with another two-run home run in the fourth inning. Then, after AU tacked on a run in the top of the sixth, the Raiders answered back in the bottom half of the inning. Ellifson led off with a single and, three batters later, scored on a double by Oselio.

In the seventh inning, Ellifson then made it 5-4 with a sacrifice fly. A sequence of walk, single, walk loaded the bases with one out for Ellifson. Unfortunately, that would be the team's only run of the frame.

The Spartans tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning and the bullpen closed the door 1-2-3 in the bottom half to secure the split.

Sophomore Sam Crawford (2-3) got the start on the mound for MSOE. He tossed 3.0 innings and took the loss. Junior Brandon Rankila finished out the game with 6.0 innings of solid relief, allowing a pair of hits and runs while striking out five.

The Raiders return to action Tuesday with a break from league play at UW-La Crosse. The teams will play a single game with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.