PHOENIX, ARIZ. - For six innings of Friday's nine-inning matchup against Paradise Valley Community College, the Madison College baseball team appeared to have everything going their way, but in one half inning it all fell apart in a 7-4 loss. The setback is the first of the season for the #15 WolfPack and snaps a short two-game win streak to open the 2019 campaign. It also drops the 'Pack to 3-5 in the all-time series with the Pumas.

Sophomore starter Troy Hickey put together a masterful outing in the season debut, striking out a career-high eight batters and holding PVCC to just three hits over six innings of work. During that time span, the WolfPack staked Hickey to a four-run lead. Jarrett Scheelk drew leadoff walk in the top of the second, which was followed by back-to-back singles from Carl Valk and Carson Holin to drive in the game's first run. Two batters later and with Valk aboard on third base, PVCC committed an error on a ground ball of the bat of Matt Miller to make it 2-0.

A pair of singles and a wild pitch put runners at the corners with two outs in the fourth inning, and first year outfielder Jordan Williams blooped a single over the third baseman to drive in Holin. Two batters later, sophomore Cam Cratic produced his first RBI of the season with an opposite field line drive that scored Derek Lee and gave the WolfPack a 4-0 advantage.

Madison College turned to the bullpen to start the bottom of the seventh, as freshman Jackson Brown made his collegiate debut. The righthander from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, secured the inning's first out with a sacrifice fly, cutting the differential to three. It would be the only out he recorded as the next six batters registered four hits and two walks to rack up a quick seven-run inning to take their first lead. Fellow first year Connor Jasurda took over and got the final two outs. The WolfPack were unable to generate any sort of threat over the final two innings, sending just six batters to the plate.

Madison College finished with six hits from five different players. Holin, a freshman from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, enjoyed the only multi-hit game with a 2 for 4 effort that resulted in one run scored and on driven in. The WolfPack left 11 runners on base.

Brown (0-1) was on the hook for six earned runs on five hits and three free passes in his 1/3 of an inning. Jasurda, a former Marshfield High School student-athlete, went the final inning and 2/3 with just one hit and two walks allowed, while also striking out three batters. The 'Pack defense committed as season-high three errors.

Up Next:

Madison College (2-1) travels to Scottsdale Community College (14-11) on Saturday for a twin bill against the team that ended their season in an elimination game at the NJCAA Division II World Series last year. The WolfPack split a pair of games with the Fighting Artichokes and trail the all-time series by a 10-3 count. First pitch of game one in Scottsdale, Arizona, is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT/11:00 a.m. PT.

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