MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College baseball team earned its first sweep of a North Central Community College Conference doubleheader Saturday at Robin Roberts Field, defeating visiting Harper College (NJCAA DIII) by scores of 11-5 and 16-3. The finale ended in five innings, tied a season-high for runs in a game, and brought the WolfPack to a .500 record in league play.

Game #1: Madison College 11, Harper College 5

A 2-2 game blew open in the fourth inning when Madison College hung a seven-spot on the Hawks. With the bases loaded, freshman Caleb Hurt singled to center to drive in two runs. After Harper committed its second error of the inning to reload the bases, Stetson University transfer Sage Bruhl followed with a double to right that cleared them for a 7-2 lead. Bruhl eventually scored on a sacrifice fly, and after base hits by Drew Steinmetz and Logan Michaels, sophomore Zach Bailey added another run with a RBI double to left to score Steinmetz.

The WolfPack made it an 11-2 advantage in the sixth when the Hawks first baseman committed a throwing error after a double by Steinmetz, allowing Tanner Umentum to race in from third. And Michaels followed with his team-leading third hit of the afternoon to drive in Steinmetz.

The day's first two runs came in the bottom of the second as Michaels scored from second base on a single to right by designated hitter Carson Carmody, who scored during the next at bat as Ty Jandrowski singled to left and the left fielder committed the first of six errors on the day for the Hawks.

Logan Michaels finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and one batted in. Drew Steinmetz and Ty Jandrowski each had a two-hit game, with Steinmetz, a sophomore from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, tying Carson Carmody for team-high honors with two runs scored. For the third time this season, Sage Bruhl drove in three runs to match a season-high.

Starter Riley Pelischek (2-2) tossed four innings of three-hit baseball and allowed just two unearned runs. The lefthanded transfer from the University of North Dakota walked three and struck out three to earn his second consecutive victory. Jon-Anthony Caban entered in relief and recorded a three-inning save, the first of his career. The first-year pitcher surrendered three earned runs in the seventh inning and finished with four hits allowed, a pair of walks issued, and four K's recorded.

Game #2: Madison College 16, Harper College 3 (5 innings)

An offensive explosion in game two saw Madison College score runs in each of the first four innings en route to their fifth run-rule win of the season. The 13-run differential also proved to be their second largest winning margin of the year after defeating Prairie State College by 14 runs earlier in the month.

Harper College (8-9-1/1-3) scored the games first runs, tallying three in the first half inning off starter Connor Fedders. Two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and Fedders walked in the first score. The Hawks got one more run during a double play, and scored their last run with a RBI single. Fedders (2-0) allowed just four more hits the rest of the game to earn his second win in as many starts.

As for the WolfPack offense, after scoring two runs in their half of the first, the home team enjoyed its second seven-run frame of the day in the second inning. Catcher Nick Blomgren started the big inning with a triple to right, scoring one batter later thanks to an error at second base. Later in the inning, Tanner Umentum drove in Bryce Plate on a single and Drew Steinmetz doubled in both Sage Bruhl and Umentum for a 6-3 lead. It grew to 9-3 when Stoughton, Wisconsin, native Cade Bunnell reached on a error at short with the bases loaded and the error allowed all three runners to score.

Following a one-run third inning, Madison College put the game out of reach with six more runs in the fourth. Sophomore Bryce Plate single to right, scoring Garrett McGraw and Nick Blomgren. Umentum drove in Plate on a single through the left side to make it 13-3. And Carson Carmody capped the scoring with a bases clearing, three-RBI double to deep center.

Three different players finished with two hit games to lead the 11-hit effort for the WolfPack. Tanner Umentum was one of those players and finished with three runs scored and two batted in. The former Denmark High School athlete matched Sage Bruhl for the team-lead in runs scored, which was one better than four other players. Drew Steinmetz ended his productive day with a pair of runs scored and matched a career-best with four RBI. Bryce Plate and Carson Carmody were both responsible for three runs being batted in.

Connor Fedders tossed all five innings and finished with three earned runs on seven hits. The first-year hurler from Franksville, Wisconsin, issued two walks and struck out one batter to help the WolfPack improve to 16-4 against the Hawks since joining the N4C. Madison College has won ten straight in the series.

Up next:

Madison College (17-9/3-3) will conclude a four-day, eight-game stretch on Sunday with a road doubleheader at Carl Sandburg College (15-9). The WolfPack have won all eight prior meetings with the Chargers in a series that goes back six years. Game one in Galesburg, Illinois, starts at 1:00 p.m., with the nightcap at 4:00 p.m.

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