MADISON, WISC. - Three days after clinching an outright conference championship, the Madison College baseball team neared another annual milestone with a sweep of Friday's doubleheader against Region IV opponent Black Hawk College at Robin Roberts Field. The #18-ranked WolfPack used a Nick Gile home run to propel themselves to a 10-2 win in the opener, and then saw freshman Taylor Jansen fan eight batters in a 5-3 victory in the nightcap to move within a game of their third consecutive 30-win season. The 'Pack own a six-game win streak over the Braves and are 19-11 all-time against BHC.

Game #1: #18 Madison College 10, Black Hawk College 2 (7 innings)

Madison College got on the board first when they loaded the bases on two singles sandwiched around a walk top open the home half of the first inning, and sophomore Jarrett Scheelk made them pay when he took yet another walk to force in a run. A fielder's choice off the bat of Nathan Aide allowed another run to score for a 2-0 advantage. The Braves answered in the second with two runs on three hits against sophomore starter Troy Hickey. From that point on, however, it was all WolfPack, starting with a big swing in the bottom of the third. Second year infielder Nick Gile led off the inning and sent a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall to give the 'Pack the lead for good. Gile's fifth home run of the year made it 3-2, which the score stayed until fifth, when the home team pounded out seven run on seven hits to put the game out of reach. Scheelk drove in two runs to begin the scoring surge, doing so with a bloop single to center. He then scored on Aide's RBI double to right. A Marquis Reuter base hit through the left side brought Aide in, while Reuter found his way home on Carl Valk's single to make it 8-2. A bases loaded hit-by-pitch tacked on the ninth run, and a final run-scoring single to center by Gile completed the scoring.

Gile, a former Menomonee Falls High School athlete, finished 3 for 3 with two runs batted in and four runs scored to extend his hitting streak to six games. Aide went 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored, while Lucas Trebian and Carson Holin each crossed home once and posted two hits. Scheelk drove in a team-leading three runs as part of a 1 for 3 effort that also included a run scored.

Righthander Troy Hickey (3-1) picked up his third consecutive win with a six-inning effort that yielded just two earned runs on seven hits, two walks, and a hit batter. The Silver Lake, Wisconsin, native struck out five before giving way to freshman Jackson Brown to work the final inning, allowing one hit and recording one strikeout. 

Game #2: #18 Madison College 5, Black Hawk College 3 (7 innings)

The finale played much closer and saw the WolfPack hold off a late Black Hawk College (14-14) rally. Madison College went up 1-0 in the third when Carl Valk raced in from third on a sacrfice fly by Nick Gile. The Braves evened the score with a run on two hits against freshman starter Taylor Jansen in the top of the fourth, which was followed by a three-run bottom half for the home team. The inning featured two hits, three walks, and a wild pitch. Derek Lee had the second base knock to drive in Nathan Aide, who led off the fram with a line drive to right. A walk of Gile forced in the team's third run of the game, and a wild pitch made it 4-1. The differential reached four runs when second year catcher Lucas Trebian singled in Marquis Reuter in the fifth. A pitching change in the sixth brought sophomore Carl Renz to the mound, but the righty struggled and loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. Eliot Turnquist came out of the bullpen, and a single and another walk later, and the Braves had cut the score to 5-3. Turnquist would get the final two outs of the inning and then work a 1-2-3 frame in the seventh inning for his seventh save of the year.

Jansen, a native of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, improved to 3-2 with a five-inning performance that included a career-high eight strikeouts. He did allow one earned run on two hits and four free passes to first before coming out of the game. Renz worked just a third of an inning and was on the hook for two earned runs on two walks, one hit batter, and a one punch out. Turnquist allwed one hit and one walk, while striking out two over his 1.2 scoreless innings. 

Offensively, Aide was the lone player with multiple hits as the Franklin, Wisconsin, product finished 2 for 3 with a run scored. Gile drove in a pair of runs without registered a hit, and Valk posted a team-best two runs scored as part of a 1 for 3 day at the plate. Freshman third baseman Derek Lee was the only player to have a hit, score a run, and drive in a run for Madison College.

Up Next:

Madison College (29-8) was schedule to conclude its North Central Community College Conference schedule on Saturday, April 27, however, the doubleheader has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 1 in Joliet, Illinois. The WolfPack will travel to Region IV foe College of Lake County (20-17) on Sunday for a full, nine-inning game at 3:00 p.m.

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