ENID, OKLA. - The Madison College baseball team battled Mesa Community College for the third time in as many days on Thursday at David Allen Memorial Ballpark, and in the decisive second semifinal of the 2019 NJCAA Division II World Series, it was the #3-seeded Thunderbirds advancing to the championship game with a 7-4 win over the #2-seeded WolfPack. The second consecutive loss to the T-birds closed out a 2-2 run for the 'Pack in Oklahoma as they cap their season with a 42-11 record. Mesa Community College (44-22) will take on #5-seeded Northern Oklahoma College-Enid (41-18) in a winner-take-all championship game on Friday, May 31 at 7:00 p.m.

The WolfPack fell behind in the first inning as the Thunderbirds, playing as the home team, opened the bottom half with a solo home run off sophomore starter Eliot Turnquist. Madison College answered in the next half inning to grab a 3-1 lead. An error and a single put runners on with one out, setting up a RBI double from freshman Carson Holin that scored Nathan Aide. Second year catcher Lucas Trebian followed with a double of his own to left to drive in Jarrett Scheelk and Holin.

OMG! Look at this diving grab by Adam LaRock in the outfield #NJCAABaseball #SCtop10 @SportsCenter @mcpackbaseball pic.twitter.com/E1anxc1Y7Q

— NJCAA TV (@NJCAATV) May 30, 2019

The game remained a two-run differential until the fifth when Mesa scored on an error by shortstop Walker Jenkins. Still clinging to a 3-2 lead in the seventh, the WolfPack saw their lead - and the game - slip away. After a leadoff double and a walk, Turnquist was relieved on the mound by freshman Patrick Foldy. The righthander allowed a single to tie the game and two-run double to make it a 5-3 deficit. The T-birds added two more runs before the inning was over to assume a 7-3 advantage.

Madison College began to regain some momentum and trim the deficit in the eighth when Scheelk hammered his second home run of the tournament. The solo blast to left made it a three-run game, which is as close as the WolfPack would get. Madison College left a runner stranded in the eighth and went down in order in the ninth as the season come to a close with a third place finish third in the nation for the fourth time this decade.
 

Jarrett Scheelk lifts this ball out of the park to bring Madison within 3 #NJCAABaseball @mcpackbaseball pic.twitter.com/FI1EhDvYRF

— NJCAA TV (@NJCAATV) May 30, 2019

Mesa Community College starting pitcher Nolan Ruffing threw a complete game, allowing four runs on 11 hits and two walks against the WolfPack. He also struck out nine batters.

Trebian, a former Madison La Follette High School athlete, led the effort at the dish with three hits and two runs batted in. Holin, Scheelk, and Nick Gile each had two hits, with Scheelk, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, native, scoring a team-high two runs and driving in another. Holin, a product of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, had a run and a RBI. Gile finished the tournament with eight hits in 16 at-bats.

Turnquist, a former Columbus High School athlete who normally fills the role of closer and has nine saves, worked six innings in a spot start and fell to 3-3 on the season. He held MCC to three earned runs on six hits and a pair of walk, whle striking out four batters. Foldy tossed two-thirds of an inning and surrendered three runs, one of which was earned, on three hits and a walk. Sophomore Carl Renz pitched the final inning and one-third without giving up a run. The Pewaukee, Wisconsin, native struck out four batters, allowed one hit, and issued one base on balls.

Madison College is now 2-6 all-time against Mesa Community College, including a 1-3 mark in world series play. Under coach Mike Davenport, the WolfPack is 15-18 in nine appearances at the NJCAA Division II World Series.

For more information on the tournament, click here.

Follow WolfPack baseball: Facebook | Twitter | GameChanger