MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College baseball team certainly looked the part of the top overall seed for the 2019 Region IV Division II Tournament, sweeping #8-seeded Morton College in a best-of-three sectional series on Saturday at Robin Roberts Field. The WolfPack, who are ranked #14 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, ended both nine-inning games early via run-rule, with an 8-0 decision in seven innings in the opener and an 11-1 victory in six innings in game two to close out the series. The sweep advances the 'Pack to the four-team, double-elimination Region IV Division II Tournament, which Madison College will host from May 17-19.

Game #1: (1) Madison College 8, (8) Morton College 0 (7 innings)

Sophomore Matt Hamilton (9-0) shouldered the load in the day's first game with another sterling performance on the mound. The righthander scattered three hits and went 1-2-3 on four occasions over his seven innings of work. Hamilton, who earlier this year became the all-time wins leader in program history, struck out six and walked none en route to his ninth consecutive win to tie for the second most wins in a single season in school history.

While Hamilton kept the Panthers bats on lock down, the WolfPack offense was providing plenty of run support. A Walker Jenkins lead-off single was followed two batters later by a Nick Gile line drive base hit to make it 1-0 in the first. In the second it was Jenkins who provided the run-scoring hit with a successful bunt single to plate Lucas Trebian. A double steal put two runners in scoring position for third baseman Marquis Reuter, who drove a single up the middle for two more runs and a 4-0 advantage.



Madison College added two runs in the fourth, with Adam LaRock picking up a RBI on a ground ball to center and later scoring on an error by Morton College. The game's final runs came in the fifth when Gile completed a productive game at the plate with two more runs batted in on an opposite field line drive to score Jenkins and Reuter.

Gile went 3 for 3 with a run scored and three runs driven in. The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, native has a team-leading 47 RBI and now sits three away from tying for the all-time school record. Jenkins, a native of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, also had three hits, which led to three runs scored and one batted in. Reuter and LaRock each tallied a hit and a run, with Reuter producing two RBI and LaRock one. For the game, Madison College's 1-4 hitters were a combined 8 for 14 (.571) with seven runs batted in and six runs scored. 

Game #2: (1) Madison College 11, (8) Morton College 1 (6 innings)

With a chance to close out the series in two games, the WolfPack started fast as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings. A two-out single from Nathan Aide produced the first run as Walker Jenkins crossed home in the bottom of the first. A single and a walk in the second inning allowed freshman Carson Holin to drive in two runs with a double to left, which was followed by a Jenkins single to bring him in. Morton College's (20-26) lone run of the day came in the fourth when starter Troy Hickey loaded the bases and reliever Taylor Jansen induced a double-play that allowed a run to cross. The 'Pack answered with a three-spot in the home half. Marquis Reuter and Nick Gile each had a RBI in the inning to set up a chance to earn the run-rule win in the sixth. Reuter drew a lead-off walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Adam LaRock hit a sacrifice fly and Jarrett Scheelk doubled in Aide to make it 10-1. Sophomore catcher Lucas Trebian ended the game in walk-off fashion with grounder through the left side to score Scheelk and give Madison College a ten-run advantage.

Hickey, a lefthander from Silver Lake, Wisconsin, was credited with three innings of work, surrendering one earned run on three hits and four walks. Jansen, a freshman from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, tossed the next two and two-thirds innings, limiting the Panthers to three more hits before Brandon Komar came in for the game's final out, which he got via strikeout. The trio finished with one K a piece and Jansen picked up the win to improve to 5-2.



Holin, another former Sun Prairie High School athlete, had just one hit, but tallied two runs score and two batted in. Aide and Scheelk each posted two hits in the game to lead in that category. Scheelk, Gile, and Jenkins match Holin with two runs scored, while Aide pulled even atop the RBI column.

For the day, Madison College stole 16 bases, led by five from Jenkins and three each by Gile and Reuter.

Up Next:

Madison College (37-9) will remain the top-seed in the upcoming Region IV Tournament and will play the opening game at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17 at Robin Roberts Field. The opponent is yet to be decided. The WolfPack will enter as the defending champions and are seeking a ninth trip to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma. Since joining the region, Madison College has a 25-5 all-time record in the tournament and has played in the championship game in eight of the nine years.

All home Madison College baseball games can be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv.

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