CLINTON, MISS. - The Madison College softball team put together an impressive debut appearance in their first-ever NJCAA Division II Softball National Championship, using three consecutive wins to become one of the last six teams standing before a perennial power ended their magical season. The 11th-seeded WolfPack finished 3-2, adding a 5-4 win over tenth-seeded Johnson County Community College (KS) and a season-ending 8-6 loss against third-seeded LSU-Eunice to their stellar resume on Day Three of competition. Coach Leo Kalinowski and Madison College finished the season with a 52-10 record and sixth at the national tournament.

Game #4 - Friday, May 18: #11 Madison College 5, #10 Johnson County Community College 4 (7 innings)

Playing in their third elimination game, the WolfPack fell behind early as the Cavaliers used a two-run homer off sophomore Mackenzie Terrill to take the game's first lead. The deficit grew to 3-0 in the top of the third, but the Madison College bats sprung to life in the home half to plate five runs on four hits and a pair of JCCC errors. With the bases loaded after an error and two singles, Hannah Grahl's ground ball was misplayed, allowing Paige Cornelissen and Sam Schloegl to score. Katelin Gilbertson followed with a line drive single to left, brining home Claire Brzenk to tie the game. A Dany  Gumz sacrifice fly gave the 'Pack a 4-3 lead before sophomore Ali Braddock made it a two-run advantage with a run-scoring triple to right

A Madison College error in the four allowed Johnson County (31-16) to pull within one, but the score would not change from there. The WolfPack defense kept the tying run at second base in the fifth inning, at first base in the sixth, and then escaped a bases loaded threat with nobody out in sixth to seal the win. Relief pitcher Emily Wiederholt induced back-to-back fielder's choice out at home plate, the first thrown out by Brittany Bredemann at third base and the second on a bunt right back to the pitcher. With one out left and the bases still full, a line drive to the left side was reeled in by Grahl as the freshman shortstop caught the final out.

Schloegl and Brzenk, sophomores hitting first and second in the lineup, both went 2 for 4 with a run scored, while Gumz, a freshman from Marshall, Wisconsin, was 2 for 2 with a run batted in. Grahl drove in two runs and scored another depite going hitless in four at-bats.

Terrill, a native of Milton, Wisconsin, allowed three earned runs on four hits and two strikeouts in her three innings of work as the starter. Fellow second year Hannah Wienen (10-2) entered in the fourth and picked up the win to reach double-digits in that category on the season. The Scales Mound, Illinois, native surrendered one run on five hits, one walk, and two K's over her three innings. Former Cuba City HS athlete Emily Wiederholt recorded her first save of the season with the three dramatic outs.

Game #5 - Friday, May 18: #3 LSU-Eunice 8, #11 Madison College 6 (7 innings)

Riding the wave of three straight wins, the WolfPack's next challenge was third-seeded and two-time defending national champion LSU-Eunice (LA). The Bengals were fresh off their first loss of the tournament, a dramatic 8-7 walk-off against second-seeded and eventual national champion Jones County Junior College.

Both teams were able to score in the first inning, with Madison College posting three runs on two hits, a walk, and a passed ball. The passed ball allowed Sam Schloegl to score the game's first run two pitches before fellow sophomore Katelin Gilbertson rocketed her sixth home run of the season and first of the tournament. The two-run bomb to centerfield with Claire Brzenk on third made it a 3-0 lead. Starter Emily Wiederholt opened the game by loading the bases, and the Bengals scored two runs on a fielder's choice grounder to second.

Still a one-run game into the fourth, LSU-Eunice (49-19) flexed their five-time national championship muscle and scored five runs on five hits and an error to make it 7-3, assuming their first lead of the game. The WolfPack, however, would not go down without a fight, and mounted a comeback in the top of the sixth inning. Dany Gumz led off with a double to right, and pinch runner Brittany Bredemann crossed home on a hard ground ball through the left side by freshman Morgyn DeLara. Three batters later, an error by Bengals pitcher allowed pinch runner Allison Tomlinson to score, and then Hannah Grahl's RBI single to left pushed Schloegl across to bring the 'Pack within one run at 7-6. After a pitching change, freshman catcher Nicole Ferch struck out with the tying run at third. LSU-Eunice added an insurance run in the seventh for a two-run cushion. Down to their final outs, Madison College got a one-out double by Gumz, but was unable to capitalize with the tying run at the plate as Ali Braddock and Kylie Endres both struck out.

Schloegl, Grahl, and Gumz each registered two hits, with Schloegl, a native of Wilmot, Wisconsin, scoring a team-high two runs. Schloegl had a hit in all five games, going 7 for 17 (.412) with four runs and three RBI. Gilbertson's two RBI was tops in that category for the game.

Wiederholt tossed just two innings and was tagged for two runs, three hits, and two walks. Freshman Alli Walker (15-5) took the loss in relief after giving up five runs, four of which were earned, on seven this and three walks with one K. The Portage, Wisconsin, native and North Central Community College Conference Most Valuable Player ends the year with a school-record 144 strikeouts. Mackenzie Terrill finished the game with a full inning of work, allowing a run, two hits, a walk, and striking out one.

The second loss of the tournament eliminated the WolfPack from the program's first-ever national tournament. Madison College ended the year ranked #9 in the final NJCAA Division II Poll.

NJCAA Division II Softball National Championship: Final Bracket | Final Results

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