OXFORD, ALA. - The Madison College softball team fought tooth-and-nail to keep their season - and national title hopes - alive Wednesday, however, a 4-3 loss in extra innings ended their run at the
2021 NJCAA Division II Softball Championships. The 11th-seeded WolfPack lead early and rallied late to force the game beyond regulation before 14th-seeded Oakland Community College (MI) secured the win in an elimination game. The loss ends the Madison College season with a record of 39-9, and drops their all-time record at the national tournament to 4-6.
After not scoring a run in the tournament opener Tuesday, Madison College got right to work with two runs in the first inning.
Katie Joten and Abbie Luczak were both walked, and with two outs, second baseman
Katherine Brandl drove a single to right that got under the glove of the right fielder and allowed Joten and Luczak to both score. The Raiders answered in the second inning with a run on a hit, a hit batter, and an error. Still 2-1 entering the fifth, Oakland Community College (32-14) pulled even when they doubled in a run after another WolfPack error.
The Raiders jumped in front for the first time in the seventh inning with a run on two hits, setting the stage for Madison College to rally in the bottom half, which began with a lead-off triple to right by third baseman
Megan Miklesh. Pinch hitter
Hannah Melum followed with a single to right and the score was tied at 3-3. After an error on
Briel Burg's grounder, the WolfPack had runners at first and second with one out, but were unable to drive in a run to end the game.
With the game moving into extra innings, pitcher
Mallory Sterling, who started her second game in as many days, was set to work her 14th inning of the tournament. She began the eighth inning with a hit batter, who advanced to second on a ground out by the next batter. Two batters later, and with two outs on the board, the runner stole third and prompted catcher
Abbie Cavadini to fake a throw. In the process, the ball slipped out of her hand towards the third base dugout, and the runner raced in to score the game-winning run. Madison College's attempt to keep the game going started well with a single to left from
Maddie Kvatek, who then moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt from Luczak. Brandl and Miklesh both followed with fly outs, leaving Kvatek at second and ending the game and season.
Of the WolfPack's eight hits, Kvatek registered three of them as the Stevens Point, Wisconsin, native finished the tournament with a team-best four hits. Brandl and Melum each had a hit and a RBI, while Miklesh posted a hit and a run scored.
Sterling (9-3) allowed four runs, only two of which were earned, over her eight innings in the circle. The native of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, struck out six batters, walked one, hit two, and allowed eight hits.
The Raiders now boast a 2-1 all-time record over the WolfPack.
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