RIVER GROVE, ILL. - Tuesday's trip to Triton College featured a five additional innings of softball, and when it ended, a heartbreaking walk-off loss prevented Madison College from earning a sweep of Trojans. The visiting WolfPack rallied in the final three innings of the opener for a 7-3 win, but squandered a 5-0 lead in the nightcap to fall 6-5 in 12 innings in a North Central Community College Conference matchup.

Game #1: Madison College 7, Triton College 3

Visiting Madison College was able to get on the scoreboard first with a pair of first inning runs. After Ashley Burg singled and Hannah Jensen doubled to put runners in scoring position with one out, Brooke Heck drove a single to right that brought both runners in, with a little help from an error by the right fielder.

The two run lead held up until the bottom of the fourth when starting pitcher Hannah Wienen ran into some trouble. Two doubles and a two-run home run gave Triton College a 3-2 lead. However, the 'Pack fought back to tie it right away in the fifth as freshman Ashley Kniesel laced a double of her own to plate Heck for a 3-3 game.

Madison College took the lead for good in the sixth on one swing of the bat. With Breanna Bollig and Burg on base, Jensen smashed a 1-0 offering deep beyond the centerfield wall for a 6-3 lead. The homer was the first of the season for the Watertown, Wisconsin, native, and the second of her career. A final run was tacked on in the seventh by Bollig, who doubled to left to score Claire Brzenk.

Jensen finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Bollig, Burg, and Heck all had two-hit efforts, with Burg matching Jensen by scoring two runs.

First year pitcher Mackenzie Terril (5-2) earned the win in relief of Wienen. Terrill entered in the fifth inning and did not allow a run in her three innings. The former Milton High School standout surrendered one hit and two walks, while striking out four. Wienen was on the hook for three earned runs on four hits and a walk. The freshman did punch out seven batters via strikeout. 

Game #2: Triton College 6, Madison College 5 (12 innings)

Game two appeared to be heading to a similar result as the opener when Madison College scored five runs over the game's first two innings. Brenna Seeber and Ashley Burg kicked it off with back-to-back singles, and Hannah Jensen loaded the bases with a fielder's choice ground ball to short. Clean-up hitter Brooke Heck then smacked a double to deep right that scored Seeber and Burg. The WolfPack made it 5-0 in the second with five consecutive singles. Jensen's grounder up the middle plated two runs, and Heck did the same to drive home Burg.

Meanwhile, Jensen was cruising in the pitcher's circle, not allowing a hit until the third inning. In the fifth, the Trojans (26-17/5-7) took Jensen deep for a three-run homer to cut the deficit to two and force Jensen out of the circle. Freshman Emily Wiederholt took over, but was also taken beyond the fence in the sixth. The two-run blast tied the game at five.

Base runners were at a premium as the game moved further into extra innings. Hannah Wienen entered in relief to begin the eighth and held the Triton bats in check, while the 'Pack offense put just two runners on base over the five extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th, Wienen allowed a leadoff single to center, and a sacrifice bunt pushed the runner to third base. After an intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs, the Trojans got a single to left the push across the game-winning run in walk-off fashion.

Wienen (5-4) suffered the loss despite going five innings with one run on four hits and four strikeouts. Her intentional walk was the lone base on balls issued by WolfPack pitching. Jensen tossed 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on four hits, but did strike out five opposing hitters. 

Heck posted her second four-hit game of the season, doing so in six at bats. The native of Rubicon, Wisconsin drove in a team-best three runs. Four others enjoyed two-hit days, including Seeber, who scored a team-high two runs.

Up next:

Madison College (26-17/9-5) will continue its N4C slate with a home doubleheader Thursday against Harper College (13-17/2-8). The WolfPack defeated the Hawks 10-1 at the N4C Dome Jamboree in early March, marking their eighth consecutive win in the head-to-head series. Madison College owns an 18-12-1 all-time record against Harper, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings since ending a nine-game skid in 2013. First pitch at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field is at 3:00 p.m., with game two to follow at approximately 5:00 p.m.

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