MADISON, WISC. - After playing their first 22 games in other states, the Madison College softball team finally took the field for a home game on Saturday and picked up two wins over Region IV foe Sauk Valley Community College at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field. The #14-ranked WolfPack downed the Skyhawks by a 9-0 final in five innings in the opener thanks to a one-hitter from Maddie Fink, and then capped the day with an 8-1 decision in the finale to extend their win streak to five games. The 'Pack is now 11-3 all-time against Sauk Valley Community College, winning three straight in the series and nine of the last ten meetings.

Game #1: #14 Madison College 9, Sauk Valley Community College 0 (5 innings)

Freshman righthander Maddie Fink (4-2) was in full control in the home opener, as the Stevens Point, Wisconsin, native limited the visiting Skyhawks to one hit in the top of the third inning while shutting out the competition over five innings of work. Fink hit one batter and saw another reach on an error, but otherwise struck out two batters and left the bases clear en route to her second consecutive win.

Madison College got on the scoreboard early with three runs in the first and second innings. Dany Gumz doubled in Paige Cornelissen for the game's first run, and freshmen Irene Tomasovic and Paige Hintz followed with RBI singles. In the second, Cornelissen was on the hitting end of a run-scoring single, and Gumz and Tomasovic drove in two more with a sacrifice fly and a single, respectively. The 'Pack made it 9-0 two innings later with one swing of the bat - and a whole lot of foot speed - as sophomore Maegan Brookins registered her first career home run, a three-run inside-the-park homer down the left field line.



Cornelissen, a native of Wrightstown, Wisconsin, finished 2 for 2 with a walk, one RBI, and a season-high three runs scored. Tomasovic recorded a pair of hits, drove in two runs, and scored once as she extended her hitting streak to a dozen games. Hannah Grahl also registered two hits and a pair of runs scored. Brookins paced the team with three runs driven with her home run, and Gumz used her one hit to produce two runs batted in and another scored. 

Game #2: #14 Madison College 8, Sauk Valley Community College 1 (7 innings)

The WolfPack put up a big number early in game two, taking a 6-0 lead with all the runs coming with two outs in the second inning. Four straight free passes to first produced the first run and a two-RBI single to center by sophomore Olivia Bancroft-Hart made it 3-0. Dany Gumz followed suit with her own two-run single to left, and Irene Tomasovic capped the frame on a line drive single up the middle to plate Gumz. Another two-out rally in the third produced two more runs, the first of which came on a solo home run by sophomore Hannah Grahl, her first of the season and fourth of her career. After two walks, Bancroft-Hart added to her RBI total with a run-scoring single. The Skyhawks (5-11) were able to score a run in the fourth, but neither team tallied a run from that point on.

Grahl, a former Laconia High School athlete, went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and one batted in. Bancroft-Hart, a native of Cambria, Wisconsin, posted a 2 for 4 effort at the plate with a career-high three runs batted in and one scored. Gumz also had multiple RBI, driving in two runs on one hit and scoring once.

Freshan Brianna Farrington (5-1) picked up her fourth win in her last six appearances. The Columbus, Wisconsin, native, went six innings and allowed five hits with one earned run. She struck out five batters before giving way to Cathryn Hiller for four batters in the final inning. 

Up Next: 

Madison College (18-6, 3-2) was scheduled to host Illinois Valley Community College on Sunday, April 14, however, cold and wet conditions forced the doubleheader to be rescheduled for Thursday, May 2 in Oglesby, Illinois. The WolfPack will host North Central Community College Conference opponent the College of DuPage (6-21, 0-4-1) for a pair of games on Monday. The 'Pack has won six straight over the Chaparrals, including a 16-6 decision at the N4C Dome Jamboree last month. The College of DuPage leads the all-time series by 24-15 count. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field, with game two to start at approximately 5:00 p,m,

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