MADISON, WISC. - Friday afternoon marked a historic day for Madison College athletics, as the softball team played its first games on the brand new turf of Robert D. Goodman Softball Field, part of the Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Sports Complex. The excitement, however, proved to be short-lived as #2 Kirkwood Community College swept the WolfPack in a doubleheader by scores of 12-0 and 9-0.

Game #1: #2 Kirkwood Community College 12, Madison College 0 (6 innings)

With much fanfare, Madison sophomore Hannah Jensen fired the first pitch ever thrown at Goodman Softball Field, a fastball taken for a strike by the Eagles leadoff hitter. The at-bat ended with a walk, and the runner scored three batters later on a fielder's choice ground ball to the right side to make it a 1-0 game. The score remained that way until the fourth when the KCC bats exploded for five runs, four of which came via home runs. Back-to-back singles to start the inning produced the first run, and with two on and one out, last year's NJCAA Division II Player of the Year, Taylor Nearad, smashed a three-run blast to right field. It was followed by a solo shot from the catcher to make it 6-0.



To this point the WolfPack bats had managed just a single hit off the bat of sophomore Brenna Seeber in the bottom of the third. In all, three batters reached base safely for the home team, the last on a leadoff single from freshman Claire Brzenk in the sixth.

The top half of the sixth saw the Eagles pound out six more runs to end the game early. Nearad hit her second homer of the day, a two-run blast to center that was one of six hits - three for extra bases - against reliever Emily Wiederholt.

Hannah Jensen (2-5) suffered her fifth loss of the season giving up six runs on ten hits and two walks over four innings. Wiederholt, a freshman from Cuba City, Wisconsin, tossed two innings of six run softball with six hits and two walks allowed. The righthander did strike out three batters.

Game #2: #2 Kirkwood Community College 9, Madison College 0 (5 innings)

The nightcap saw Kirkwood Community College (24-1) extend its winning streak to 11 games after getting to the WolfPack pitching early. Starter Hannah Wienen surrendered a double, a walk, and a single within the first four batters to load the bases. After another single drove in the game's first run, the Eagles pitcher and number six hitter smacked a grand slam off the scoreboard in center for an early 5-0 advantage.

The big hits kept coming in the second for KCC with two doubles, a triple, and another Nearad home run to make it 8-0. The five home run day for Kirkwood gives the Eagles 46 long balls on the season so far, good for second most in the country.

Meanwhile, the hitting woes continued for the WolfPack, as they tallied just four total in the game. Freshman Bre Feiler registered the first base knock in the second, Samantha Yaeger followed with a leadoff single in the third, and Emme Hilbert and Bre Bollig added two more in the fifth before the game ended via the run rule.

In the circle, Hannha Wienen (1-3) took the loss after allowing eight earned runs on nine hits in her three innings. The freshman did strike out a pair. Fellow first-years Mackenzie Terrill and Riley Landenberger each threw an inning and combined to give up three hits and one unearned run as the WolfPack lost for the fifth time in a head-to-head matchup with Kirkwood.

Madison College (13-10) will have a short turnaround as a non-conference doubleheader with rival Rock Valley College (22-2) was added to the schedule for Saturday afternoon. The #1 Golden Eagles are the three-time defending national champions in NJCAA Division III and have won four consecutive North Central Community College Conference titles. The WolfPack have dropped ten straight games against RVC, and trail by a 6-26 margin in the all-time series. First pitch in Madison is set for 1:00 p.m. in the opener, followed by a 3:00 p.m. start in the finale.

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