MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College softball team seems to be picking up steam as the schedule nears the final week of the regular season. The WolfPack won both games of a doubleheader over Dakota County (MN) Technical College, 10-7 and 6-1, Sunday at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field to extend their current win streak to four games. The victories also means the two programs have split their eight all-time meetings, with the 'Pack owning W's in each of the last four games.

Game #1: Madison College 10, Dakota County Technical College 7

Game one opened with a huge six-run first inning for the WolfPack, taking advantage of five hits and two walks. Sophomore Hannah Jensen delivered the first punch, a single to right that plated Breanna Bollig. Ashley Burg then scored on Ashley Kniesel's fielder's choice that failed to produce an out, and Bailey Kratt brought home Jensen with a groundout to short for a 3-0 lead. Ali Braddock's RBI single to left added another run, and Braddock herself made it 5-0 off fellow freshman Emme Hilbert's double to centerfield. A double steal with Claire Brzenk and Hilbert accounted for the inning's final run.

Spotted an early lead, freshman righthander Hannah Wienen made it stand. The Scales Mound, Illnois, native pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the second, during which she allowed her only hit of the day. She exited after the fourth, when the lead grew to 8-0 on Brooke Heck's run-scoring double to deep center, followed two batters later by Kratt's two-bagger to left.

Dakota County was able to slide back into the game against reliever Mackenzie Terrill. The freshman from Milton allowed three runs on three hits after an error prolonged the top of the fifth. Fortunately, the Madison College offense added two more runs in the home half when Hannah Jensen completed her stellar hitting day with a two-RBI single up the middle that pushed the advantage to 10-3.

The game grew precarious in the sixth when Terrill loaded the bases on two walks and a hit, forcing coach Leo Kalinowski to turn to his bullpen. Fellow first year Emily Wiederholt entered and struck out the first batter she faced, however, and error on the next ball in play allowed a run to score and extended the inning. The former Cuba City High School athlete limited the damage to just four runs before working a perfect seventh to earn her first career save.

Wienen (6-4) struck out six and allowed just one hit, while walking three. Over her last 23 innings, she has given up just five earned runs and nine hits, and has recorded 33 strikeouts. Terrill was credited with three earned runs of the six she allowed on four hits and two walks in her inning of action.

At the plate, Jensen and Burg each went 3-for-4 to pace the offensive attack. Jensen drove in three runs and scored two to continue a stretch of 10-for-15 hitting with 11 RBI and six runs scored of her last four games in the lineup. Burg, along with Bollig, also reached home twice.

Game #2: Madison College 6, Dakota County Technical College 1

The nightcap played to a more competitive outcome, though a four-run fifth inning proved to be the difference. Tied at one, the WolfPack busted out the bats with a double from Ali Braddock and a Claire Brzenk single to open in the inning. Second year Brenna Seeber ripped a double to the opposite field to bring both runners in and hand Madison College the lead for good. Two batters later, and with two outs on the board, Ashley Kniesel delivered a single to left that scored Seeber. Back-to-back singles from Brooke Heck and Bailey Kratt pushed across another run to make it 5-1. 

Hannah Jensen pitched out of a jam in the sixth to keep the four-run cushion, then added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half that drove in Brzenk with the bases loaded.

The game opened with Emily Wiederholt throwing the pitches, and the freshman went three innings and allowed one run in the first inning. She finished with five hits given up and one strikeout recorded. Jensen (4-7) entered after the WolfPack tied the game in the third on Brzenk's race around the bases on a single to third and two throwing errors, and held the Blue Knights (15-19) to just three hits and three walks.

Brenna Seeber went a season-best 4-for-4 with two runs batted in and one scored. The Watertown, Wisconsin, native has a six game hitting streak, during which she is hitting .714 with nine runs scored and three batted in. Brzenk posted three hits in three at bats with three runs driven in and has hit safely in eight of the last night games. 

Up next:

Madison College (30-17/11-5) will conclude the North Central Community College Conference portion of its schedule with a Tuesday doubleheader at in-state foe Milwaukee Area Technical College (0-18/0-14). The WolfPack dominated the Stormers 13-0 in five inings at the N4C Dome Jamboree in the first ever meeting between the two programs. An early twin bill in Madison was postponed to due rain. Game one at Rotary Park in Mequon, Wisconsin, is at 3:00 p.m., and will be followed by game two at 5:00 p.m.

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