YORKVILLE, ILL. - A loss in the playoff opener for the Madison College softball team put their backs against the wall, but the #2-seeded WolfPack rallied to win three straight before falling a run short in the NJCAA Region IV Division II District B Championship Game over the weekend. The 'Pack dropped a 2-1 game to #3 Highland Community College in the semifinals to fall into the consolation bracket, but rebounded with a 6-3 win over #4 Illinois Valley Community College, a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Highland in a rematch, and a 4-0 decision in game one of the championship series against top-seeded Waubonsee. In need of another victory over the Chief, Madison College fell short in a 2-1 loss to end their season at 37-19 and one win shy of the program's first ever trip to the NJCAA Softball National Tournament.

Game #1: #3 Highland Community College 2, #2 Madison College 1 (Saturday)

The WolfPack fell behind in the second when a two-out single off starter Hannah Wienen scored the Cougars first run. The freshman allowed another run in the fourth on a throwing error by second baseman Ali Braddock that would have ended the inning.

Down 2-0 and with just two hits to that point in the game, Madison College tried to kick start the offense in the bottom of the fourth. Ashley Kniesel led off with a single and made it to third with two outs, but Samantha Yaeger ended the inning with a ground out to second. Kniesel again started the offense in the sixth, this time going extra bases with a double to center. The freshman from Waterloo, Wisconsin, advanced to third on a Claire Brzenk sacrifice and then scored when Katelin Gilberton grounded out to shortstop.

Down to their final at bats in the seventh, the WolfPack loaded the bases on a two-out single from Ashley Burg and walk to Brook Heck, however, Kniesel flew out to the centerfielder to end the game. 

Kniesel and Burg each had two hits to lead the Madison College offense. Wienen (6-5) allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on ten hits and struck out six batters as she went the distance in the pitcher's circle.

Game #2: #2 Madison College 6, #4 Illinois Valley Community College 3 (Saturday)

Facing elimination and the end of the season for the remainder of the tournament, Madison College found a hot streak. A scoreless tussle through two-and-a-half innings became a three-run game when the WolfPack scored three in the bottom of the third. Hannah Jensen drove in Brenna Seeber with a sacrifice fly, and three batters later Ali Braddock singled to center to score Brooke Heck and Ashley Kniesel, both of who had singled ahead of her.

The lead was short lived as the Eagles (17-16) responded with three of their own in the fourth off Emily Wiederholt, who was replaced by Jensen after the score became tied. Another three-spot in the home half of the fourth provided the difference. Five consecutive hits were highlighted by a run-scoring single from Seeber and RBI doubles by Ashley Burg and Heck.

Jensen (5-7) kept IVCC in check until the seventh, when she induced a ground ball out with runners at the corners and the tying run at the plate to end the game. The win is the third straight for the sophomore from Watertown, Wisconsin, after going 3 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up three hits. Jensen did walk four batters and stuck out two. Wiederholt finished with one earned run allowed on five hits, a walk, and no strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. 

Heck posted a 3-for-3 effort with a run scored and one driven in. Seeber and Samantha Yaeger each had a pair of hits, with Seeber scoring two runs and bringing home one more. Braddock led in the RBI column with two.

Game #3: #2 Madison College 7, #3 Highland Community College 6 (Sunday)

In a rematch with the Cougars (24-12) for the consolation championship and the right to play for the Region IV title, Madison College fell behind by five runs after three innings. The WolfPack then erased the deficit with a major two-out rally in the fourth. Ashley Kniesel drove a triple into deep center to score Lindsey Bollig and Brenna Seeber, and Brooke Heck followed with a double to make it 5-3. After a Claire Brzenk single put runners at the corners, Hannah Jensen grounder to second was misplayed, and the error allowed both runners to score and tie the game.

Still tied in the sixth, Kniesel put the 'Pack up a pair with a clutch, two-out double to left to bring Breanna Bollig and Seeber across the plate. Despite allowing a run in the sixth to close the differential to just one, Jensen sealed the win with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to send the WolfPack into the title game for the first time ever in Region IV.

Kniesel drove in a career-best four runs on 2-for-3 hitting and scored a run. Heck and B. Bollig both registered a pair of hits, and Seeber tallied two runs scored. 

Jensen (6-7) made it four straight wins with a very unconventional effort. The sophomore started the game but was pulled in the third with the bases loaded and no outs. All three runs would score, and after freshman Mackzenie Terrill struggled, getting just one out in five batters faced, she was removed for fellow first year Hannah Wienen. The native of Scales Mound, Illinois, was able to end the inning after four runs scored and worked a perfect fourth before Jensen re-entered for the final three innings. She ended with five earned runs on six hits, five walks, and four K's in five total innings. Terrill was on the hook for one run and a hit. 

Game #4: #2 Madison College 4, #1 Waubonsee Community College 0 (Sunday)

Madison College put it's best foot forward in it's first ever appearance in the Region IV Division II District B Championship. Facing a Waubonsee club that they split a road doubleheader against on April 9, the WolfPack scored first in the top of the second inning. Freshman catcher Emme Hilbert singled up the middle with two outs and Brooke Heck raced in from second.

It remained 1-0 until the sixth when Madison College subbed Hannah Jensen into the lineup and the second year player hit a sacrifice fly with Ashley Kniesel at third to add a little cushion. Ali Braddock then padded the lead with a single to right, scoring Heck for the second time in the game. The final run tally came in the seventh as Breanna Bollig scored from first on Brenna Seeber's double to center.

Freshman Emily Wiederholt (11-3) nabbed her team-leading 11th win to move into a tie for second most in a season in program history. The former Cuba City High School athlete tossed five innings of three-hit softball with a pair of walks and strikeouts. Hannah Wienen worked the final two frames with a hit and three K's to close out the win. 

Heck keyed the offense with two hits, while five others were able to collect a base knock.

Game #5: #1 Waubonsee Community College 2, #2 Madison College 1 (Sunday)

In need of yet another win over the Chiefs (36-18) to win their first ever title in any NJCAA Region and move on to their first appearance in a national tournament, the WolfPack fell behind by two early. Hannah Wienen walked the game's first batter before a double made it 1-0. An error by second baseman Ali Braddock on the next ball in play allowed a runner to score from third for a two-run deficit in the first half inning. 

Madison College struggled to get runners on base through the first four innings, but finally broke through in the fifth, doing so all with two outs. A hit by pitch and a walk put runners on for sophomore Brenna Seeber, who drove a single into left to score pinch runner Kortni Grenawalt. Unfortunately, with the tying run at second, Ashley Burg flew out to the left fielder.

The 'Pack was able to get at least one runner aboard in the sixth and seventh innings, but neither went further than first base. The season ended when Seeber grounded into a fielder's choice force out at second.

Heck finished 2-for-3, while four others had hits in the game. Wienen (6-6) lasted just two innings after allowing two runs, one of which was earned, on two hits. Fellow first year Mackenzie Terrill stepped up to keep the WolfPack within reach with five innings of three-hit ball, striking out five. The WolfPack played the entire weekend without sophomore third baseman Bailey Kratt who was lost during the week to injury. 

Madison College earned the NJCAA Division II District B runner-up trophy for the first time since joining the region in 2010. They match four other second-place finishes from their time in Region XIII (1988, 2007, 2008, and 2009) as the best postseason finishes in program history. The weekend run of wins pushed the 2017 team to the most wins in school history, surpassing coach Leo Kalinowski's 2016 squad by one.

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