DIXON, ILL. - The Madison College softball team needed not one, but two, seventh innings rallies to keep their win streak alive as they swept a doubleheader against Region IV opponent Sauk Valley Community College on Saturday, April 21. Freshman Dany Gumz came through with clutch hits in both games, including the go-ahead home run in the opener, to give the #15 WolfPack wins ot 5-1 and 12-10 over the Skyhawks. The two wins push the 'Pack win streak to eight consecutive.

Game #1: #15 Madison College 5, Sauk Valley Community College 1 (7 innings)

A scoreless game through three innings turned into a 1-0 Madison College lead when freshman Hannah Grahl sent a 2-2 pitch beyond the centerfield wall for a solo home run - the first of her career - to give the WolfPack the first lead of the game. The advantage held up until the sixth when SVCC used a pair of singles to manufacture a run and tie the game. However, the 'Pack had an immediate answer with a four-run seventh innings. Freshman Dany Gumz drilled the day's second home run to centerfield, this time a two-run poke to give Madison College a 3-1 edge. Before the inning ended, the visitors tacked on two more insurance runs as first year outfielder Paige Cornelissen followed singles by Bre Feiler and Sam Schloegl with a triple to plate them both.

Freshman Alli Walker (8-2) finished out the complete game win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, striking out the final two batters. The Portage, Wisconsin, native struck out nine batters for the second straight game and allowed one earned run on six hits, a walk, and two hit batters. 

Gumz, a former Marshall HS athlete, went 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored to pace the offense. The home run was her fourth of the season, tying her with sophomore Katelin Gilbertson for the team lead. Claire Brzenk also finished with two hits and a run scored, while Cornelissen matched Gumz in the runs batted in category with two. 

Game #2: #15 Madison College 12, Sauk Valley Community College 10 (7 innings)

Opposite of the pitchers' dual seen in the opener, game two saw the two teams combine for 22 runs on 14 hits and eight walks. After grabbing a 2-0 lead in the first half inning, Sauk Valley Community College (13-11) got to starter Hannah Wienen, using a three-run homer to cap a four-run inning. Madison College tied the game in the second when freshman Maegan Brookins drove in Bre Feiler on a bunt, then raced around the bases after the Skyhawks committed one of their four errors in the game. The WolfPack went ahead 6-4 in the fourth, but surrendered five runs in the bottom half to fall behind by three. The wave of runs kept going  in the fifth as three hits, two errors, and a walk added up to four runs and a 10-9 lead. After SVCC tied it up again in the sixth, Madison College regained the lead for good in the seventh. With two outs, sophomore Ali Braddock singled and then scored when fellow second year Ashley Kniesel followed with a clutch triple down the right field line. For good measure, Dany Gumz then doubled to the opposite field to bring in Kniesel for a 12-10 differential.

Sophomore righthander Emily Wiederholt (6-3) worked a perfect bottom of the seventh to close out the win and pick up the victory, her third straight. The Cuba City, Wisconsin, product tossed the final 1 2/3 innings without giving up a run or a hit, and recorded one strikeout. Wienen lasted 3 2/3 innings and was credited with eight earned runs on seven hits and a K. Another second year, Mackenzie Terrill, pitched an inning and 2/3 in the middle, and allowed two runs, four hits, and two walks while striking out two.

Four players enjoyed multi-hit games, led by Kniesel and Gumz each with three base knocks. Kniesel also drove in a career-high four runs, while Gumz registered two RBI. Brookins and Brzenk both posted two hits, with Brookins, a native of Poynette, Wisconsin, scoring a team-best three runs. Three other players all had two runs scored.

The WolfPack has won five consecutive games against Sauk Valley and now boasts a 6-2 all-time record.

Up Next:

Madison College (30-7) remains on the road for a doubleheader Sunday, April 22 at Carl Sandburg College (14-22). The 'Pack swept each of the last two doubleheaders against the Chargers and are 7-3 in the head-to-head series. First pitch is at noon in Galesburg, Illinois, with game two to follow at approximately 2:00 p.m.

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