The Madison College baseball team couldn't pull off another doubleheader sweep against the Blackhawk Community College Braves after taking the first game 4-1 and dropping game two 5-3. The split puts Madison record at 31-10 with eight regular season games left on the docket.
Pitching was the story in game one as starter Joel Effertz shutout the Braves until they put one run on the board in the fourth inning. By then, the WolfPack scored four runs in the bottom of the third to spot him the lead, and after the Brave run Madison College held the 4-1 lead. Effertz hurled two and a third more innings until he was replaced by Andy Stochl for the last two outs of the final inning. Effertz picked up the win in the 4-1 game, his sixth of the season, and Stochl earned his first save of 2011.
The WolfPack stroked three of their four hits in the pivotal third inning, and were led by freshman Treysen Vavra who finished 1-for-3. Vavra also drove in two of the four runs and scored once. James Furlano and Tyler Brusky picked up the other RBIs for Madison College.
The Blackhawk Braves jumped out to the early lead in the second game with single runs in the first and fourth innings, before he WolfPack took the 3-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out Treysen Vavra got the rally started with a single to right field, and Andrew Wasmund followed with a double to right field to drive in Vavra. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Tyler Brusky singled to right and Wasmund scored to tie the game 2-2. With two out and runners on first and second, Jon Dybevik provided the big hit with an RBI singled to center that knocked in Brusky and Madison College held their first lead of the game, 3-2. WolfPack starting pitcher Parker Schrage who had pitched six effective innings up to that point, started to fall a part in the seventh. After back-to-back-to-back singles to start off the inning, Schrage finally recorded an out on a line drive to center. With one down, his wild pitch allowed a Brave run to score and the game was again tied, 3-3. After giving up a walk to reload the bases, the Braves followed with a single to right for another run, and a routine grounder off a reliever Andy Stochl gave Blackhawk their third run of the inning and the 5-3 lead. Madison couldn't muster any offense in the bottom half of the inning and Blackhawk walked away with the 5-3 win. The loss was Madison College's second home loss of the season. Schrage fell to 3-1 on the year after pitching six and a third innings, and Stochl pitched two thirds of an inning in his second relief appearance of the day.
The 31-10 WolfPack travels to Dixon, IL on Tuesday, May 3 to take on Sauk Valley Community College in a doubleheader. The first game starts at 2:00 PM.
