GLENDALE, ARI. - For the first time in the 2017 season, the Madison College baseball team failed to score the first run of a game, and after trailing by as many as four runs, was unable to complete a late rally in a 6-5 setback Wednesday afternoon at Glendale Community College. The WolfPack have now dropped five consecutive games against the Gauchos, including each of the last four seasons.

Neither pitcher gave an inch in the opening innings until Glendale finally broke through in the third against righthander Branden Frank. The transfer from Kaskaskia College hit the lead off batter, who proceeded to steal second and advance to third on a groundout. A sacrifice fly to left made it 1-0, marking the first game of the year the WolfPack trailed after game's first run was scored.

Madison College tied the game in the top of the fourth. Kian O'Brien reached on a one-out single and raced from first to home on a Cade Bunnell double to to right. Still even at one in the bottom of the fifth, the Gauchos (16-12) got to Frank for two more runs, hitting a two doubles and a single to grab a 3-1 lead. However, the 'Pack answered in the visitors half of the sixth. Sage Bruhl opened with a single, advanced to second on an O'Brien sacrifice bunt, and stole third. Garrett McGraw's fielder's choice to the second baseman allowed Bruhl to race home and make it a one run game.

Freshman Jon-Anthony Caban entered for Frank ahead of seventh, which proved to be a difficult inning ot get out of. Caban walked the first two batters he faced, the first of which would eventually score on an error by Garrett McGraw at third. A double steal pushed runners to second and third with one out, and both touched home on a two-RBI single up the middle.

The WolfPack refused to go down without a fight and registered three runs in the eighth to pull within one. Freshman Logan Michaels and Bruhl each welcomed the new Gauchos pitcher with a single. O'Brien then drove home Michaels with a single, and Bunnell, a transfer from Kansas State University, capped his big day with a double that plated two more runs to bring the differential to 6-5. With the tying run at second, the next three batters all recorded an out.

The Gauchos nearly added insurance runs in the eighth after a throwing error put runners at second and third with nobody out. Those runners would not advance after a groundout to short, an outstanding caught stealing at home plate, and a fly out to center that ended the threat.

An attempt at a two-out rally to tie to take the lead began to take shape with a Michaels single and a Bruhl single after Glendale brought in another new pitcher. With the game-tying run on second, the final out would be recorded on Kian O'Brien's ground ball to third that resulted in a force out at second.

Madison College outhit the Gauchos 9-7 thanks to two-hit efforts from Sage Bruhl, Kian O'Brien, Cade Bunnell, and Logan Michaels. Bruhl and O'Brien tied for team-high honors with two runs scored, while Bunnell racked up three runs batted in to move into first on the team for the season with seven. The former Stoughton Vikings standout also leads the team with four extra base hits through eight games.

Branden Frank (0-1) took his first loss of the season after holding Glendale to three runs on four hits in his six innings on the hill. The Hartland, Wisconsin, native struck out one and walked one. Jon-Anthony Caban allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with one "K" in his lone inning on the bump. Righty Darren Strasburg gave up one hit in his lone inning of relief work.

It will be a quick turnaround for Madison College (3-5) as they open a neutral site doubleheader with Williston (ND) State College (8-2). The Tetons have won three straight ahead of Thursday's twin bill. The WolfPack are 22-4 all-time with Williston after sweeping a doubleheader a year ago in the desert. The pair of seven-inning games will start at 10:00 a.m. in Arizona (12:00 p.m. CT) at Vista Grande High School in Casa Grande, Arizona.

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