CRYSTAL LAKE, ILL. - The Madison College baseball team entered the Region IV Division II Tournament as the #3 seed, however, more significantly as the six-time defending champions of the region. That streak of Region IV titles and NJCAA Division II World Series appearances came to an end, as did the 2016 season, with back-to-back losses on Saturday. After defeating #2 Kankakee Community College, 6-2, on Friday to open the double-elimination tourney, the WolfPack lost an 11-10 heartbreaker to #1 and host McHenry County College in the semifinals, dropping Madison College into the losers bracket. Facing #4 Elgin Community College in a win-or-go-home game for both teams, the WolfPack fell 12-9 to close out the tournament and season.

Game #1: Madison College 6, Kankakee Community College 2

Outstanding pitching helped Madison College start the Region IV Tournament with a win as Derek Heffel kept the Kankakee bats in check. The sophomore righthander pitched into the eighth inning, allowing two earned and four hits, while also walking a pair and striking out five. Heffel, who has committed to pitching at Middle Tennessee State next season, finishes the season with a 4-4 record.

Madison College trailed 2-1 entering the fifth when the WolfPack offense busted through, with some help from the Cavaliers defense. With two outs on the board, Simon Maurice and Trevor Tunison reached base on a hit-by-pitch and an error on the third baseman, respectively. Sophomore Nick Kanavas took advantage. doubling to left to bring in Maurice and tie the game. A walk of Drew Steinmetz loaded the bases for Kian O'Brien, and when the freshman's ground ball to shortstop was misplayed, Tunison had come in to score to give the WolfPack a 3-2 advantage. Nate Schmidt finished off the two-out rally with a two-RBI single to right, plating Kanavas and Steinmetz for a 5-2 lead.

The two errors in the fifth were part of five total in the game for Kankakee Community College (38-20).

The WolfPack added an insurance run in the sixth. With runners at the corners, Maurice grounded into a double play on the right side, allowing Chris Lund to race in from third.

After surrendering a run in the third inning, Heffel settled in and retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced as he worked through the seventh. Coach Mike Davenport turned to the bullpen in the eight with a runner on first and two down. Lefthander Clayton Uselman came in to record the final out of the inning, a fly ball to Kanavas in center.

Uselman stayed on to work the bottom of the ninth, closing out the WolfPack's fourth-straight postseason victory with a four-batter inning.

Madison College struck first in the second inning on a Bryce Plate RBI ground out to shortstop that scored Schmidt. Kanavas, Schmidt, and Makuski all registered two hits, while Schmidt was the lone player with multiple runs batted in.

Game #2: McHenry County College 11, Madison College 10

The semifinal matchup between Madison College and McHenry County College will go down the best game of the Region IV Tournament. Will a spot in the championship series on the line, the two teams traded blows like a heavyweight boxing match.

The first punch came with the game's first at bat. Lead off hitter Nick Kanavas drove the ball deep to left for his sixth home run of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The Scots, who are ranked sixth in the latest NJCAA Division II Poll, came right back with a massive second inning.  McHenry plated six runs on five hits and an error, however, the WolfPack kept chipping away.

An error on a fielder's choice up the middle brought Kanavas in to score in the third. Yet another error, this one on the third baseman, allowed Chris Lund to cross home in the fourth to make it a 6-3 deficit.

It stayed that way until the sixth with starter Sam Lund left the game with two one and no outs for righthander Dominick Golubiewski. Following a wild pitch that scored a run, the Green Bay, Wisconsin, native surrendered a two-run homer to left to make it 9-3.

Always ready to rally, Madison College did just that in the seventh. Three straight singles by Kanavas, Drew Steinmetz, and O'Brien chased the Scots starting pitcher with the bases loaded. Nate Schmidt then drove a pitch to left for a run before Ryan Makuski doubled in two more to make it 9-6. Chris Lund tacked on another with a run-scoring groundout to short that plated Schmidt.

McHenry (48-10) made it 10-7 in the bottom of the eighth, leaving Madison College in need to three runs to keep their championship game hopes alive. And that's exactly what they got. O'Brien began the rally with a double to left, his team-leading fourth hit of the day. When Schmidt was hit-by-pitch and Makuski singled, the bases were suddenly loaded with nobody out. Freshman Chris Lund ripped a single to left that scored O'Brien and Schmidt to close to within 10-9. When Bryce Plate grounded into a double play, it left a runner on third for Simon Maurice. Facing their last gasp, the Oregon, Wisconsin, native came through with a single to right, tying the game as Makuski touched home.

Now up to the defense to hold the Scots and force extra innings, righthander Riley Pawelski came in to work the ninth. A single and an error put runners at second and first, and with one out, McHenry's second baseman Riley Richarz singled in the game-winning run for a walk win.

Pawelski (0-2) took the loss in relief. Sam Lund did not factor in the decision after starting the game and allowing eight runs on eight hits. The former Sun Prairie Cardinal also walked four and struck out seven in five innings. Golubiewski went three innings with one earned run on three hits and a season-high five K's.

Kanavas and Maurice finished behind O'Brien for the hits lead with three each, while Makuski and Chris Lund both had two. Kanavas scored a team-best three runs, one better than O'Brien and Schmidt. Lund topped the 'Pack with three RBi, followed by Makuski with two. Both teams struck out 13 times.

Game #3: Elgin Community College 12, Madison College 9

Facing a must-win situation in the final of the loser's bracket, the WolfPack never led in their matchup with the Spartans. Elgin got to starter Brandon Parr and the Madison College defense early, putting up four runs in the first half inning. The runs came courtesy of two hits, a walk, and two errors.

Madison College, playing as the home team, came right back with a three-spot in the bottom half. With two out and two on, Ryan Makuski double to right field, allowing Drew Steinmetz and Nate Schmidt to score. Chris Lund followed with a single to center, driving in Makuski to make it 4-3.

The Spartans again separated in the second with five runs to increase their lead to 9-3. The surge came on five hits, including three to start the inning, and a walk.

Three walks drown by the WolfPack in the bottom of the second set up another big scoring opportunity, but Mike Davenport's club could only push across one run.

Brandon Parr (5-4) would settle in from there, pitching through the sixth inning and allowing just one more run. In the meantime, the offense tacked on a run in the fourth and two in the sixth to get within 10-7. They made it 10-8 in the eighth as Simon Maurice singled in Makuski with two outs.

As momentum was slowly building up on the Madison College bench, Elgin (42-18) suddenly found late energy and scored two runs in the ninth to go up 12-8. Jake Kopp was pulled with a runner aboard at third and one out for Jared Horton, but the Spartans manufactured some offense, scoring on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly.

With their season on the line, the WolfPack put runner's in scoring position in the ninth. A Steinmetz single and Schmidt double brought Makuski to the plate with two outs. The redshirt sophomore from Custer, Wisconsin, singled up the middle to make it 12-9. Team RBI leader Chris Lund came up, hoping to keep the game going, but grounded out to third to end it.

Ryan Makuski finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, leading the team in all three categories. Four other batters tallied two hits a piece with O'Brien and Lund both driving in two runs. Steinmetz matched Makuski with two runs scored.

Parr's final line score was six innings, eight hits, ten runs allowed with five earned, two walks, and two strikeouts. Kopp tossed 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-run baseball and registered three K's. And Jared Horton went the final 2/3 of an inning with one unearned run on a walk and a strikeout.

Madison College finishes 29-28-1 for their 13th consecutive winning season, and 25th straight non-losing season.