MADISON, WISC. - With wins over each of the other three teams involved, the Madison College baseball team completed a perfect run through the NJCAA Region IV Division II Tournament at Robin Roberts Field to grab their second straight region championship. The top-seeded WolfPack opened with an 11-5 win over #4 Moraine Valley Community College on Friday, and followed with a come-from-behind 9-6 victory against #2 McHenry County College in Saturday's semifinal. They finished off the weekend Sunday night with a 9-0 blanking of #3 Black Hawk College to claim their eighth Region IV crown and the program's 20th overall region title. Sophomore third baseman Marquis Reuter was named the Region IV Tournament Most Valuable Player, and Mike Davenport received his eighth Region IV Coach of the Year accolade. The 'Pack also qualifies for the 2019 NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma, for a ninth time, which will also mark the program's 14th appearance in a NJCAA national tournament.

Game #1: #1 Madison College 11, #4 Moraine Valley Community College 5 (9 innings)

The WolfPack started out slow against the Cyclones, who upset previously second-seeded Kankakee Community College in the sectional round to reach the Region IV Tournament. Moraine Valley Community College came out swinging and belted a three run homer in the second and a solo shot in the third to take a 4-0 lead against starter Patrick Foldy. Madison College got on the board in the bottom of the third when sophomore second baseman Nick Gile ripped a triple to left that scored Carl Valk and Marquis Reuter. Both team would score in the fith, with MVCC adding a run in the top half before the 'Pack plated three to even the game at 5-5. Walker Jenkins opened the inning with a single, and then scored on a Reuter two-bagger to left. Gile followed with a double to deep center to score Reuter, and Lucas Trebian ended the rally with a run-scoring single to left that brought Adam LaRock home. LaRock, a sophomore outfielder, then took over the game to give the WolfPack the win. He crushed a three-run homer over the scoreboard in center in the sixth to make it 8-5, and then put the game away in the eighth with another three-run blast to give Madison College its final six-run differential.



LaRock, a native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, enjoyed his second multi-home run game of the season as part of a 3 for 4 effort at the plate that. He set a career-high with six runs batted in and matched a season-high with three runs scored. Jenkins and Reuter, former prep teammates at Sun Prairie High School, combined for five hits and six runs scored, with the former posting three hits and the latter scored a career-best four runs. And with his 3 for 5 performance that produced two extra base hits, a run, and three runs batted in, Nick Gile tied the Madison College record for career RBI with 105, set by Ben Long between 2006 and 2007. Madison College produced 15 hits for its fourth-highest total of the season, with the 1-4 hitters combining to produce 11 hits, ten runs, and ten RBI. 

Foldy worked the first two and two-thirds innings and was on the hook for four runs, three of which were earned, on five hits, a walk, and four strikeouts. Fellow freshman Taylor Jansen took over for an inning and a third, giving up a run on two walks. He did not allow a hit and struck out a pair. Second year arm Brandon Komar (2-1) took over for the final five innings to get the win, his first since April 6. The Elkhorn, Wisconsin, native fanned five batters and walked one, but did not allow a run or a hit while on the hill.

The WolfPack is now 7-1 all-time against Moraine Valley Community College (20-25), including three wins in 2019. They are now 2-0 against in postseason meetings against the Cyclones.

Game #2: #1 Madison College 9, #4 McHenry County College 6 (9 innings)

In a rematch of last year's Region IV title game, Madison College needed to rally from a three-run deficit to advance to their third consecutive Region IV Championship Game. The WolfPack scored first in the opening inning with a Nathan Aide single that drove in Marquis Reuter. The lead held up until the fifth when starter Matt Hamilton ran into trouble. The sophomore had allowed just two hits before giving up a solo home run to tie the game agains the second batter of the inning. Three hits, a hit batter, and a wild pitch all followed and the WolfPack found themselves trailing 4-1. However, the defending champs answered with a five-run frame to regain the lead. With the bases loaded, Adam LaRock forced in a run with a walk, and Aide and Jarrett Scheelk, the last of which brough home two runs and gave the 'Pack a 5-4 lead before they added another run in the inning. Madison College went up 9-4 in the sixth thanks to RBI singles from LaRock and Scheelk, as well as another walk with the bases full. The Scots tacked on two runs in the seventh, but never mounted much of a threat after that.



Hamiton, an Oak Creek, Wisconsin, native, improved to 10-0 with the win. He finished with four earned runs on eight hits as he worked seven innings. He struck out eight batters before giving way to fellow righthander Eliot Turnquist for the final two innings. The former Columbus High School athlete picked up his ninth save of the season by not allowing a single base runner and striking out three batters.

Scheelk, a product of Green Bay, Wisconsin, went 2 for 3 with three runs batted in, while Aide was 2 for 2 with three walks, a run scored, and two RBI. LaRock drove in two runs and was one of four players to score twice.

Madison College now owns a 26-11-1 all-time record against the Scots, which includes five consecutive wins. They are also 4-1 against McHenry County College (40-13) in postseason meetings. 

Game #3: #1 Madison College 9, #3 Black Hawk College 5 (9 innings)

The WolfPack rode the sturdy left arm of sophomore Troy Hickey to a lopsided win in the title game. The former Wilmot Union High School athlete worked a no-hitter into the fifth inning, allowing four walks over that span. When he left the game in the eighth inning, the 'Pack had staked Hickey to a 6-0 lead. Madison College scored in four consecutive innings, with the first run coming in the second inning when Nathan Aide raced home on a wild pitch. In the third it was Nick Gile bunting home Marquis Reuter for a 2-0, a play that also made Gile the all-time RBI leader in program history with 106.



Lucas Trebian singled in Adam LaRock in the fourth, and in the fifth, Reuter drove in Walker Jenkins and Carson Holin before scoring on a sac fly from Aide to make it 6-0. Reuter put the finishing touches game out of reach, and finished off his Tournament MVP performance, in the eighth with a three-run home run to left that was gone the moment it left his bat. The WolfPack used three pitchers over the final inning and two-thirds, with sophomore closer Eliot Turnquist getting the final out on a fly ball to Aide in right field and the championship celebration was on (see video in story image at the top for the championship awards presentation).



Reuter, finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored and a career-high five RBI. For the tournament he posted five hits, drove in six runs, and scored nine times. Jenkins also had three hits with two runs scored, while Gile and Trebian posted two each and a RBI each.



Hickey improved to 5-1 on the season as he struck out two and walked five in his seven-plus innings. Connor Jasurda, Carl Renz, and Turnquist took care of the rest, with Jasurda striking out two batters in the eighth to end the Black Hawk College (24-19) threat.

The WolfPack is now 20-11 all-time against the Braves, winning seven straight, and are now 5-0 in postseason meetings with BHC.

Up Next:

Madison College (40-9), which has won 11 straight games, will advance to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma. Play will begin on Saturday, May 25, with seedings and pairing announced on Tuesday. 

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