ROSEMONT, ILL. - After dropping their first two games of the season to ranked rivals within the North Central Community College Conference, the Madison College softball team won four straight to close out the N4C Dome Jamboree at The Dome at the Ballpark with a 4-2 record against league opponents. The WolfPack (RV/NJCAA DII) opened Friday with a 7-0 setback to #1 (NJCAA DIII) Rock Valley College and a 6-2 loss to #4 (NJCAA DIII) College of DuPage, but rebounded with wins over (RV/NJCAA DII) Triton College (6-5), Harper College (10-1), Joliet Junior College (11-3), and Milwaukee Area Technical College.(13-0).

Game #1: #1 Rock Valley College 7, Madison College 0 (Friday)

The three-time defending national champion Golden Eagles took advantage of a stellar pitching performance by sophomore and Wisconsin native Kelsie Packard (Beloit/Beloit Turner) to shut down the Madison College bats in the season's first game. Freshman outfielder Ashley Burg stroked a two-out double to left in the second inning for the WolfPack's lone hit and five others reached base via a walk or hit by pitch after that, however, no runner ever made it past second base against RVC. Packard (1-0) struck out a dozen batters en route to the shut out victory.

On the flip side, sophomore Hannah Jensen struggled to settle in against a Rock Valley College (6-0/6-0) lineup that finished with 11 hits. A single and an error allowed two runs to score in the bottom of the first, and a pair of base hits in the second made it 3-0. The WolfPack kept the Golden Eagles off the board in the third, but the four-time defending conference champs pulled away in the home half of the fourth with three runs on five hits.

Jensen (0-1) would leave the game with four earned runs on nine hits and a walk, posting three strikeouts in four innings before earning her first loss of the season. Freshman Riley Landenberger entered in and tossed two innings of two-hit, one-run ball and struck out four batters before RVC took their tenth consecutive win over the WolfPack, including three straight at the Jamboree. Rock Valley leads the all-time series 24-6 since 2010. The two teams will play again April 11 for a doubleheader in Madison.

Game #2: #4 College of DuPage 6, Madison College 2 (Friday)

Looking to put the season opener in the rearview mirror, the WolfPack started fast against the Chaparrals as they opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore Brenna Seeber singled, stole second, and scored on a Brooke Heck base knock to left for the season's first run. Heck, a sophomore from Beaver Dam (WI) HS, scored on the next at bat when first year infielder Ashley Kniesel ripped a line drive to left for her first collegiate RBI.

It remained 2-0 until the bottom of the third when DuPage (4-2/4-2) finally got to Madison freshman starter Hannah Wienen (0-1). The righthander from Scales Mound, Illinois, gave up a run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly to even the score at two. In the fourth, Wienen allowed four runs on five hits and an error, making it 6-2 before being pulled for fellow first year hurler Mackenzie Terrill.

Madison managed just three more hits after the first inning. Heck and Kniesel each finished 2-for-3 at the plate. In the circle, Wienen surrendered just two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six. She tossed 3 2/3 innings in her collegiate debut. Terrill, a native of Milton, Wisconsin, allowed one hit and struck out five in her two-plus innings of work. 

The WolfPack have dropped two straight against COD after winning five in a row, but still trail the all-time series by a 9-24 differential.They will meet again April 4 in Madison.

Game #3: Madison College 6, Triton College 5 (Saturday)

Saturday marked a new day and a fresh start, but the day's first game was no easier a challenge as Triton College (4-2/4-2) gave the WolfPack its closest game of the weekend. Again Madison College struck first with a pair of first inning runs on four hits and a sac fly. Starter Hannah Jensen gave up her first run after a walk and an error in the third, but the 'Pack got the run back and more in the home half. Ashley Burg opened the inning with a double and scored on Brooke Heck's triple one batter later. A third straight extra base hit, this time a double by Katelin Gilbertson, pushed across another score to make it a 4-1 advantage.

That all changed with one swing of the bat in the fifth. Three straight singles loaded the bases for first baseman Jazzlyn Fleming, who crushed a two-out grand slam to give the Trojans their first lead of the game at 5-4.

The WolfPack came right back with three singles of their own in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on an error to pull back to even. Freshman Ali Braddock could have added to the run total but popped out to end the threat with runners at second and third. Following a scoreless sixth in the circle for Jensen, Madison took the lead for good when Brooke Heck lazered another double to left field that scored Brenna Seeber from second for what proved to be the game-winning run. Finishing off the win, however, was no easy chore. Jensen (1-0) loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh and was pulled in favor of freshman Mackenzie Terrill, who struck out the first three batters she faced to earn her first career save and the team's first win of the season.

Jensen finished with four earned runs, five walks, and five strikeouts in six innings of work for her first win of the spring. Heck and Gilbertson went 3-for-4, with Heck tallying two runs scored and two driven in. Gilbertson, a native of Onalaska, Wisconsin, had a pair of RBI. Burg and Jensen each had two hits as part of 13 total for the WolfPack.

Madison College has won 11 of the last 15 games played against Triton and are 13-9 in the head-to-head series. They will meet again April 18 in River Grove, Illinois.

Game #4: Madison College 10, Harper College 1 (6) (Saturday)

Now that the pressure of the season's first W was off their back, the WolfPack cruised through the rest of the weekend, beginning with the emergence of the big bats against Harper College. Freshman Ashley Kniesel showed off speed with a steal of home to open the scoring the second inning, before the wind started blowing out. Breanna Bollig led off the third with a solo home run to center field, the first of her career. Run-scoring doubles by Brooke Heck and Ashley Kniesel later in the inning pushed the lead to 4-0.

The Hawks (1-4/1-4) used the long ball for their lone run, powering a solo shot over the right field fence in the fourth. However, the 'Pack answered with two-run blasts by Heck and Lindsey Bollig in the top of the fifth. It was part of a six-run half inning that included yet another steal of home, this time by freshman Ali Braddock during the at bat of Bollig that resulted in the homer to left.

Ashley Burg, Heck, and Kniesel led the way, each registering two hits and two runs scored. Heck added three RBI. First year Emily Wiederholt (1-0) picked up the win in her first start after the righty tossed four innings of four-hit, one-run ball and struck out five batters. Riley Landenberger tossed a perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts to help Madison to an eighth straight victory against the Hawks. The 'Pack are now 18-12-1 all-time and have won 14 of the last 16 meetings. The next meeting will be April 20 with a doubleheader in Madison.

Game #5: Madison College 11, Joliet Junior College 3 (Sunday)

Against the Wolves, Madison College jumped out to a 5-0 lead by the end of the third inning. In those three innings, the WolfPack amassed eight hits and two steals, and took advantage of two Joliet (2-4) errors. A walk and two hits in the fourth made it 6-1, and then a costly error by the Wolves first baseman allowed three runs to score and increased the advantage to 9-1. The 'Pack added one run each fifth and sixth innings.

Sophomore Brenna Seeber enjoyed her best day at the plate with three hits and two runs scored. Freshmen Claire Brzenk and Ashley Burg each had a pair of hits and scored multiple runs. Brzenk crossed home a team-best three times, while Burg added an RBI. Brooke Heck drove in a team-leading four runs, one better than Katelin Gilbertson with three.

The pitching tandem of Hannah Wienen and Mackenzie Terrill limited the Wolves lineup to seven hits. Wienen (1-1) allowed two of them, to go along with two walks, two strikeouts, and one earned run over three innings. Terrill tossed four innings and registered five hits, one earned run, one walk, and a pair of K's to secure her second save.

Madison has won 15 straight games against JJC, a streak that dates back to 2013. The WolfPack travels to Joliet, Illinois, for a twin bill on April 6.

Game #6: Madison College 13, Milwaukee Area Technical College 0 (5) (Sunday)

The finale of the Jamboree saw freshmen pitchers Riley Landenberger and Emily Wiederholt combine for a five-inning no-hitter against the in-state rival Stormers. Landenberger (2-0), a Roscoe, Illinois, native, struck out five of the nine batters she faced en route to her first career win, while Wiederholt, a Cuby City, Wisconsin, native, set down two of her six batters faced via strikeout.

At the plate, Madison College hammered away at Milwaukee pitching, to the tune of 13 hits, while also taking advantage of seven errors. Sophomore and former Mt. Horeb HS athlete Breanna Bollig jump started the offense with a two-run homer in the first inning, her second jack of the weekend. Landenberger followed and helped her own cause with a triple 

The game became lopsided in the second when the 'Pack put up a six-spot to take a 9-0 lead. Bre Feiler, Claire Brzenk, Landenberger, and Shianne Hackbart all doubled during the frame. Madison added two runs each in the third and fourth innings before the run rule was invoked. 

Breanna Bollig, Landenberger, and Feiler each finished with two-hit efforts, with Bollig leading the team in RBI with four.

Madison College (4-2/4-2) will head south to continue playing with their annual Florida spring trip. The WolfPack will play 13-games over nine days starting Thursday, March 9 with a pair of seven-inning games against Kalamazoo Valley (MI) Community College (1-2-1/NJCAA DII) and Monroe (NY) Community College (0-0/NJCAA DIII). It will be the second meeting all-time with the Cougars, who defeated the 'Pack 15-6 last year in the Sunshine State, and the fourth meeting against the Tribunes, who own a 2-1 series lead despite a 13-2 win by Madison in Florida last year. The games will be played in Leesburg, Florida, at the Sleepy Hollow Recreational Complex.

Follow WolfPack softball: Facebook | Twitter