ARIZONA - If the first five games of the season are any indication as to how the rest of the 2018 schedule will play out, the Madison College baseball team could earn honorary drama degrees. Through the first half of their annual Arizona Spring Trip, the WolfPack own a 3-3 record, with five of the six games being decided by a single run and within the final nine outs. Game one set the tone when play was suspended in the top of the 9th at Scottsdale Community College on Thursday, March 8 with the 'Pack leading 10-7 and with the bases loaded. The game resumed two days later and saw the Fighting Artichokes rally back for an 11-10 walk-off win. In between the start and conclusion of that game, Madison College split a doubleheader at Chandler-Gilbert Community College on Friday, March 9, dropping the first 3-2 on an extra innings walk-off and holding on late in the nightcap for a 9-8 victory, the first of the season. Back in Scottsdale on Saturday, the WolfPack regrouped for a 5-4 win, their second in four games. The season-opening weekend ended with yet another split doubleheader Sunday, March 11 at Glendale Community College, opening with an 8-7 setback and closing with a resounding 17-4 decision in five innings.

Thursday (3/8): Scottsdale Community College 11, Madison College 10 (9 innings)

A scoreless game busted wide open in the top of the third when the WolfPack scored five runs on four hits, a walk, and two hit batters. After freshman Cam Cratic and sophomore Logan Michaels reached base with a walk and a single, respectively, first year outfielder Nathan Aide ripped a double to right to plate the season's first run as Cratic crossed home. Nick Gile, a freshman from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, followed with a single to left to make it 2-0. A hit-by-pitch two consecutive batters loaded the bases and then brought in a third run before freshman infielder Walker Jenkins drove home a pair of runs with a line drive single to center.

Madison College made it a 7-0 lead when Gile powered the first home run of the season, a two run blast over the fence in right in the fourth. In the fifth, Jenkins scored from first on Cratic's triple to center, giving the Madison East product his first collegiate RBI.

Starter Jack Eagan, a sophomore from Wautoma, Wisconsin, held the Fighting Artichokes (12-14) to a single run on three hits and five walks with six strikeouts, allowing the first opposition run on a sacrifice fly to right with one out. Fellow second year Tyler Strzelczyk entered in the sixth and combined with another righthander, Jake Kopp, to surrender six more runs over the next three innings, bringing the score to a one-run differential at 8-7.

In the ninth, the WolfPack took advantage of four walks and a hit by pitch to produce two more runs and some breathing room at 10-7. With the sacks still packed and one out, the game was suspended due to darkness and picked up two days later, when sophomore Garrett McGraw hit into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the ninth, freshman pitcher Jonathan Dominguez loaded the bases with one out, and Scottsdale produced a sacrifice fly and a walk. After first year arm Nolan Rebernick replaced Dominguez, the Artichokes hit a two-RBI single to even the game at ten and a fielder's choice ground ball to second two batters later to produce the winning run in walk-off fashion.

Offensively, Michaels and Gile each had two hits and two runs scored to lead the way, while GIle and Jenkins tied for the team lead in runs batted in with three each. Cratic finished with a hit, three walks, a run scored, and two driven in.

On the mound, Strzelczyk was tagged for six runs, four of which were earned, on four hits, a walk, and one K in two innings. Kopp tossed one inning of scoreless baseball with a walk and a strikeout. Dominguez (0-1) surrendered four runs on a hit and a walk in 2/3 of an inning en route to taking the loss.

Friday (3/9) Game #1: Chandler-Gilbert Community College 3, Madison College 2 (8 innings)

Friday's doubleheader opened with Madison College yet to complete a game, and saw the WolfPack grab an early lead. Cam Cratic led off the game with a line drive single through the left side and then scored from second when Logan Michaels ripped a base knock to center. Still a 1-0 contest through four innings, the WolfPack added another run in the fifth on the bat and hustle of Cratic. The first year outfielder pulled a double to left and never stopped running, taking advantage of a throwing error by the Coyotes to come all the way home.

Chandler-Gilbert got on the board in the bottom of the fifth against starter Nate Brown, who traded a run for a double-play. Following a scoreless inning from Jonathan Dominguez in the sixth, righthander Garrett McGraw entered to start the seventh with a chance for his first career save and recorded outs against the first two batters. A double and a single followed for CGCC, and the game was now tied and headed to extra innings. The WolfPack went down in order in the visiting half, and the Coyotes put runners in scoring position with an error and a single. McGraw battled through back-to-back strikeouts, but a hard ground ball to the left side was just enough to score the walk-off win.

McGraw (0-1) was credited for one earned run on two allowed, with four hits given up and three strikeouts. Brown, a transfer from the University of Florida, worked five innings of one-run, four-hit baseball with four K's and three walks. Dominguez tossed one inning, giving up two hits and a walk, but no runs. 

Of the WolfPack's seven hits, three were by Cratic as the hot-swinging freshman went a career-high 3 for 4 with two runs scored.

Friday (3/9) Game #2: Madison College 9, Chandler-Gilbert Community College 8 (7 innings)

The nightcap of the doubleheader in Chandler, Arizona, featured 17 runs, 17 hits, and another dramatic ending. Once again, Madison College struck first with a three-spot in the first inning. Cam Cratic opened with a double to left and was joined on the bases when Carl Valk and Logan Michaels followed with successive bases on balls. That set up RBI opportunities for the middle of the order, which came through when Nick Gile and Adam LaRock both singled to right to drive in one and two runs, respectively.

Another three-run inning in the third made it a 6-0 differential A throwing error on Chase Scharnek's sacrifice bunt attempt allowed Garrett McGraw to score. Two batters later, Walker Jenkins singled in LaRock and Scharnek. The Coyotes (16-14), however, would get the three runs back in their half of the third against righthander Brandon Komar. The Elkhorn, Wisconsin, native making his collegiate debut, served up a three-run homer to left. Still going strong into the fifth, Komar loaded the bases with two outs before a single and a walk brought the lead to just one at 6-5.

Madison College answered back in the sixth, using a loaded bases and no outs situation to yield two runs with a base on balls to Caleb Hurt and a sac fly from McGraw to make it 8-5. The advantage went to 9-5 in the seventh after Cratic doubled home Scharnek. 

The WolfPack began to sweat in the bottom half when CGCC homered off sophomore reliever Tanner Umentum and scored again on a passed ball to pull within a run. However, the native of Denmark, Wisconsin, recorded a K and a fly out to close out the team's second win of the season.

Komar (1-0) earned his first collegiate win despite five runs on six hits and three walks. He also struck out seven in five innings of work. Fellow freshman Jarrett Scheelk issued two walks and recorded one strikeout in his third of an inning, before Umentum tossed the final 1 2/3 innings with three hits, three runs (two earned), and one strikeout for his first save of the season and second of his career.

Once again Cratic led the effort at the plate with his second consecutive three-hit game, producing two runs and one RBI. Cratis is batting .583 (7-12) with five runs, three RBI, and three walks in the season's first three games. Scharnek also had two runs scored, to go along with another driven in. LaRock and Jenkins both registered two runs batted in to lead the team in that category. 

Saturday (3/10): Madison College 5, Scottsdale Community College 4 (9 innings)

Returning to Scottsdale, Madison College failed to finish off the win from Thursday's suspended game, but managed to exact some revenge with a one-run win in the day's normally scheduled nine-inning game. Both team scored in the first, with Nathan Aide producing for Madison College on a single to left that plated Jarrett Scheelk, who led off with a single to right. The WolfPack broke the 1-1 tie in the second when Scheelk's bunt single brought sophomore Marquis Reuter in from third. Two more runs scored when Walker Jenkins and Scheelk touched home on a passed ball and wild pitch, respectively.

The Fighting Artichokes (12-15) got one run back in the third, but Madison College answered with a Caleb Hurt run-scoring single to left in the fourth to make it 5-2. Still separated by three runs in the eighth, the game drew closer when SCC plated two runs against relief pitcher Jake Kopp. Two early walks were followed by two late singles to make it 5-4 entering the last inning. The WolfPack left a pair of runners on base in the top half, then turned to the freshman Jenkins to pick up the save. The righthander from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, struck out the first two batters he faced, and after single and a walk, ended the game with a fielder's choice ground ball to short for his first career save.

Second year hurler Matt Hamilton (1-0) earned the win, the first of his career, with six strong innings on the hill. The Oak Creek, Wisconsin, product gave up two earned runs on five hits and four bases on balls, while striking out three. Kopp worked two innings with two runs on two hits and three walks. The West Bend, Wisconsin, native struck out two.

Scheelk enjoyed his best game of the trip so far with a 3 for 5 effort at the dish. The former Green Bay Preble HS athlete scored two runs and drove in one more. Hurt, LaRock, and Jenkins all enjoyed multiple hits, with Jenkins also scored two runs. 

Sunday (3/11) Game #1: Glendale Community College 8, Madison College 7 (7 innings)

The fifth consecutive one-run game came in a doubleheader opener at Glendale Community College, and saw a four-run WolfPack lead evaporate. Tied at two after three innings, Madison College grabbed a 4-2 advantage in the fourth. An error put leadoff batter Tanner Umentum on base, and two batters later Walker Jenkins singled him in. Later in the frame the Gauchos changed pitchers after a hit by pitch loaded the bases, however, the new pitcher opened with a walk of Nick Gile to plate the second run. 

The fifth inning produced three more WolfPack runs thanks to two hits and two walks. The second base knock came off the bat of Walker Jenkins and sophomore Jon-Anthony Caban. Madison College then traded outs for runs in the next two at bats to surge ahead, 7-2. Glendale rallied to assume the late lead in the sixth with five runs on three hits, three walks, and an error against freshman Trentin Uttech and sophomore Connor Fedders.

Fedders (0-1) was saddled with the loss after three runs scored on a hit and three walks in his inning on the hill. Uttech threw three innings and allowed four runs - three of which were earned - on four hits, three walks, and two K's. Starter Troy Hickey opened with two innings of three-hit, one-run ball. The Silver Lake, Wisconsin, native set down three batters via the K and walked on.

Of the WolfPack's ten hits, half were from two players. Jenkins finished a season-best 3 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored. Logan Michaels had a pair of hits. Umentum and Carl Valk tied for team-high honors with two runs scored, and Gile equaled Jenkins two runs batted in.

Sunday (3/11) Game #2: Madison College 17, Glendale Community College 4 (5 innings)

The day's finale saw Madison College put forth its best offensive effort with 17 runs on 11 hits in the run-rule shortened contest. The game busted wide open with a ten-run second inning for the visitors, who tallied six hits and four walks over the course of ten consecutive at bats, to go along with a Gauchos (15-16) error that started the inning. Tanner Umentum, Adam LaRock, Cam Cratic, Nathan Aide, and Chase Scharnek all drove in runs with a hit.

Still ahead by a 10-3 margin in the fifth, the 'Pack exploded again for a seven-run frame that included four hits, three walks, and one error. Scharnek and Umentum provided the early run-producing hits, and LaRock capped the offensive explosion with a three-RBI double to left.

Aide went 3 for 4 while Umentum and LaRock posted two-hit games. LaRock, a freshman from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, native, drove in a season-high four runs. Umentum followed with three RBI and Jordan Olson pushed two across. Freshman Jerry LaSaint from Frisco, Texas, was tops in runs scored with three. Six others touched home plate on two occasions.

Overshadowed on the day was the work of the pitching staff. Sophomore Theo Denlinger (1-0), pitching for the first time since suffering a season-ending arm injury on last year's trip, tossed the first inning and earned the win. He had one earned run, one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. Nolan Rebernick allowed two runs with two hits and three walks in one inning of action. Jon-Anthony Caban pitched the final three innings with one earned run, two hits, two bases on balls, and two K's.

Up Next:

Madison College (3-3) will enjoy an off day on Monday before returning to game action against GateWay Community College (13-14). The Tuesday, March 13 doubleheader will begin at 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (noon in Phoenix, Arizona), with both games consisting of seven innings. The trip will continue with a nine-inning game on Wednesday, March 14 at Paradise Valley Community College (19-8), before wrapping up with a full game at NJCAA Division I Central Arizona College (23-5) on Thursday, March 15.

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