MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College softball team fell a couple runs shy of earning doubleheader sweep against Illinois Valley Community College at the Goodman Sports Complex on Friday. The WolfPack won the opener 2-0 before dropping the nightcap 4-3 for their second consecutive split of a twin bill.

Game #1: Madison College 2, Illinois Valley Community College 0

A first inning smash was all Madison College needed to grab an early W against visiting Eagles. Sophomore Cheyenne Holmes handed the WolfPack an early 2-0 lead with a two-out, two-run homer to left. It's the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, native's team-leading fifth blast of the season, and scored Breanna Bollig, who reached on an infield single two batters prior. Holmes also increased her slugging percentage to a team-best .736.

From that point on sophomore pitcher Jenalee Wilson (12-5) took care of the rest. Wilson worked out of a jam in the top of the first with the help of the defense behind her, negating two hits, including a double. She would allow three more hits from that point on. Wilson's five-hitter also included four strikeouts and one hit batter in seven innings of work. At one-point, Wilson set down nine consecutive batters, then finished with a 1-2-3 seventh to get the win.

The Madison College defense finished with game with zero errors.

It was just as tough for WolfPack hitters to find offense against the Eagles starting pitcher, accumulating five total hits of their own. Two of hits came sandwiched around a walk in the bottom of the sixth as the 'Pack looked to add some insurance runs, however, Meredith Holt's hard ground ball to first left the bases loaded and the score close.

Lindsey Bollig registered two of the team's five hits, while Cheyenne Holmes provided the production with two RBI and a run scored.

Game #2: Illinois Valley Community College 4, Madison College 3

Game two required Madison College to rally halfway through the game, scoring runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at three. But a two-out burst by Illinois Valley (14-10) in the top of the seventh netted the visitors a win going away. 

Relief pitcher Hannah Jensen recorded two groundouts to start the frame before a single and a double in successive batters put the Eagles on top, 4-3. IVCC owned the advantage for most of the game. They scored one run in the first on a WolfPack error and added a second in the second on a steal of home.


Madison College got one run back in their half of the second inning when Brenna Seeber singled in Summer Zachow to make it 2-1. 

The deficit returned to two runs in the third as the Eagles put together three consecutive singles against WolfPack starter Elizabeth Wahl, who would last just one batter into the fourth inning.

The Madison College rally started in the fourth as Seeber and Zachow again combined to produce a run. After Zachow lead off with a double to left, Seeber again drove her in with a single to right. Then in the fifth it was Cheyenne Holmes ripping a leadoff double, and Meredith Holt with the RBI single to left to score Holmes and tie the game, 3-3. 

Holmes finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, while Seeber, Holt, Zachow, and Brooke Heck all had two hits a piece. Madison College (23-16) out-hit the Eagles 11-9 in the loss. Zachow had a team-high two runs scored and Seeber a team-leading two runs driven in.

The loss falls to Hannah Jensen (7-7), despite holding IVCC to just one run over 3 2/3 innings in relief. Elizabeth Wahl finished with three runs allowed - two of which were earned - in her three plus innings. The duo combined for two strikeouts and two base on balls.

Madison College continues a busy stretch of their schedule Saturday with a road doubleheader against Carl Sandburg College (19-18) in Galeburg, Illinois. First pitch is at 12:00 p.m.