MADISON, WISC. - Strikeouts were in full effect Thursday at Robin Roberts Field as the Madison College baseball team swept a Region 4 twin bill against Highland Community College. The WolfPack, ranked #20 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, defeated the visiting Cougars by scores of 9-5 and 10-2, giving them six games with double-digit runs in the past eight. The 'Pack is now 38-6 all-time against Highland CC.

Game #1: #20 Madison College 9, Highland Community College 5 (7 innings)

After a rough start, freshman righthander Jack McNeil settled in and limited the Cougars at the plate. The visiting bats recorded three consecutive singles to start the game and jump out to a 1-0 lead, however, the Madison, Wisconsin, native recorded six strikeouts before Highland was able to score another run in the fifth. By then, Madison College owned a 6-1 advantage. 

A single, two hit batters, a walk, and wild pitch plated two runs in the second to put the 'Pack on top. Four runs on five hits in the third inning provided some comfort. Gunnar Doyle drove in Brady Jurgella to begin a highly-productive day for the former Oak Creek HS athlete. Jake Fulton, Kameron Laskowski, and Eli Kramer all picked up RBI's in the inning. With the lead trimmed to three, the home team added two more in the fifth, highlighted by a second run-scoring double for Kramer. The Cougars kept it close with two runs in the top of the sixth before a Fulton sac fly capped the scoring in the home half.

McNeil (3-0) went five innings and finished with eight strikeouts. He allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks before giving way to Ryan Hubley, who made his collegiate pitching debut. The Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, product added four K's to the Madison College total and limited the opposition to just two hits over the final two innings.

Doyle went 3 for 4 with three runs scored and another driven in, while Logan Mantz also scored three runs. Fulton managed to drive in three runs without registering a single at-bat.

Game #2: #20 Madison College 10, Highland Community College 2 (7 innings)

Game two played out in a very similar fashion as Highland Community College (12-14-1) took a one-run lead in the first against starter Alex Redman. Madison College answered back in a big way in the home half when Doyle came to bat with the bases loaded, and cleared them all with a double to right-center. Four runs on three hits, a walk, and an error pushed the advantage ot 7-1 in the second. Brady Jurgella tripled in Ben LaRonge, and then scored on a Jake Nelson sac fly. Doyle picked up another run batted in with a second sacrifice fly in the inning, and Gabe O'Brien capped it with a run-scoring single. Both teams added a run in the third inning. The final two WolfPack runs came courtesy of a Zach Storbakken RBI double in the fifth and a Ryan Hubley sac fly in the sixth.



Meanwhile, Alex Redman (5-0) was mowing down hitters with a career-best 11 strikeouts in five innings of work. The former Marquette University HS athlete allowed one earned run and five hits, with two walks to stay perfect on the season. Charlie Campbell, a native of Cudahy, Wisconsin, tossed the final two innings of scoreless ball with no hits, two walks, and a K.

Menasha, Wisconsin, native Brady Jurgella produced a team-best three hits and scored three runs with one RBI. Doyle drove in a team-high four runs on one hit. 

Up Next:

Madison College (24-8, 5-1) will take a four-game win streak to North Central Community College Conference foe Harper College (1-19-1, 0-7). The WolfPack boast a 19-5 record all-time against the Hawks, including wins in 13 of the last 14 meetings. First pitch in Palatine, Illinois, is at noon on Saturday, April 24. The 'Pack is back at Robin Roberts Field on Sunday for a noon doubleheader against Region 4 opponent Triton College (20-11). The Trojans swept Madison College in River Grove, Illinois, on April 2 to tighten the head-to-head series to 24-19.

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