SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. - The first two games of the 2016 Madison College baseball season played out in eerily similar fashion, the most recent of which ended with the #2 WolfPack falling 10-6 to Scottsdale Community College on Friday. The game played close early before the Fighting Artichokes pulled away, courtesy of a four-run sixth inning in a matchup of teams that both reached the NJCAA Division II World Series in 2015.

Scottsdale dented the scoreboard first, pushing a run across in the second inning off WolfPack starter Derek Heffel (0-1). Madison College answered right back in the top of the third, when Nick Kanavas scored from second on a single by freshman shortstop Drew Steinmetz.

Heffel handed the lead back when the 'Chokes leadoff batter went over the left field wall in the third to resume a one run advantage. Five batters later the home team added two more runs to make it 4-1. But Madison College (0-2) had a quick answer to start the fourth as freshman Chris Lund tripled in Bryce Plate. The Stoughton, Wisconsin, native then scored on a Tanner Van De Hey groundout to the right side.

Scottsdale Community College (14-9) kept right on swinging, tacking on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a second solo home run. It's the fifth home run in two games allowed by WolfPack pitching.

The separation occurred two frames later against first year reliever Theo Denlinger. Following a one-run top half, SCC took advantage of three hits and a two errors to extend the differential to 10-4, all with two outs on the board in the sixth.

The WolfPack had thoughts of a late rally, but were limited to single run innings in the seventh and eighth.

Sophomore righthander Derek Heffel was on the hook for the loss in his season debut. The Racine St. Catherine's product allowed six runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, while striking out six SCC batters. In all, the quartet of Heffel, Denlinger, Hank Schau, and Dominick Golubiewski set down 11 opposing hitters via strikeout and issued eight free passes to first.

At the dish, Chris Lund led the charge with three hits in four at bats, scored three runs, and drove in another. Drew Steinmetz and Ronnie Cross both had a pair of hits, and Cross finished with two RBI.

The same teams will play again Saturday as part of a triangular at Scottsdale Community College. The WolfPack and Fighting Artichokes will play a seven-inning game at 11:00 a.m. Central Time. Madison College will then play another seven-inning game against Dakota County Technical College (MN) at approximately 2:00 p.m. The game will mark the season opener for the Blue Knights, who will also play SCC in the nightcap.

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