The Madison College baseball team punched their ticket to the NJCAA DII World Series in Enid, OK for the sixth straight season after beating up on the Oakton Community College Raiders 9-1 in the Region IV Tournament championship game on Sunday afternoon. Madison flexed their muscles and showed they were the team to beat in Region IV after winning Friday's Region IV Tournament opener over Morton College 10-2, then adding 4-3 and 9-1 wins against Oakton on Saturday and Sunday for the Region IV title. The WolfPack swept the three-game Region IV Tournament in Schaumburg, IL like they did last year, to make them 6-0 in two seasons at Boomers Stadium. The three Region IV Tournament wins this season, gives the 'Pack a 6-0 post-season record, 42-10 overall record, and 23 straight wins heading into the NJCAA DII World Series.
 
The WolfPack didn't waste any time and got on the board with a first inning run in Sunday's title game and held a 1-0 lead after two innings. Oakton took away the lead and tied the game 1-1 with a third inning run, but the WolfPack responded quickly. Madison plated three runs in the third to take back the lead, 4-1, and then both the Oakton and Madison College bats fell quiet for the next three innings. The WolfPack came alive again with a run in the seventh for the 5-1 lead, and then blew the game wide open with four runs in the eighth for the 9-1 lead. Relievers Clayton Uselman and Ryne Blanton replaced starter Westin Wuethrich, and combined to shutout Oakton in the ninth to preserve the 9-1 win for the 'Pack.
 
Sam Hurt and Travis Hamilton led the way at the plate, both collecting three hits, or six of Madison's 14. Hurt went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base, and Hamilton finished the day 3-for-4 with a run scored and tied for the team lead with two RBI. Luke Yapp and Tony Butler also recorded two RBI a piece, and Brandon Gibis scored two runs to tie Hurt for the lead. Mike Aiello had the lone extra base hit for the WolfPack, a double in his 2-for-4 day.
 
Starter Westin Wuethrich hurled another gem in seven and two thirds innings on his way to improving to 6-1 on the year. He scattered seven hits and allowed one run, but struckout seven in his quality start. Clayton Usleman took over for Wuethrich, and Ryne Blanton replaced Uselman to end the game. Both Uselman and Blanton threw two thirds of an inning and a strikeout, as the WolfPack pitchers combined for nine strikeouts in nine innings.
 
The 42-10 WolfPack has almost a full week of rest before their opening game of the NJCAA DII World Series in Enid, OK. Madison's first game of the World Series at beautiful David Allen Memorial Ballpark is at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23rd against the UCONN-Avery Point Huskies out of Connecticut. The Huskies won the East District and possess a record of 34-12.