WINTER HAVEN, FLOR. - The Madison College softball team did all they good to try and play as many games as possible as steady rains in the Sunshine State left the team with four fewer games than was scheduled when they departed Wisconsin. The WolfPack, ranked #18 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, dropped a rare road doubleheader to NJCAA Division I Polk State College on Tuesday, March 15 by scores of 6-2 and 8-3, with the nightcap ending early due to rain. The wet weather remained and the 'Pack was unable to compete over their final two days in Florida, ending their trip with a 3-4 record.

Game #1: Polk State College 6, #18 Madison College 2

Madison College scored the game's first runs with two in the top of the second after a single, an error, and a walk loaded the bases. The Eagles cut down two runners at home on back-to-back fielder's choice plays up the middle, but second baseman Briar Armatoski lined a two-out single to center that plated Trista Ripp and Taylor VonBehren. The lead did not hold as PSC answered with four runs in the bottom half against starter Mallory Sterling, using three hits, a walk, and an error. The Eagles added to their lead with single runs in the third and fifth innings, while the WolfPack was unable to string together more than a single hit in any inning after the third.

First year shortstop Ellie Rademacher posted two of the team's five hits, while Armatoski had two runs batted in.

Sterling (2-1) suffered her second loss of the season with eight hits and two walks leading to six runs, four of which were earned, over her six innings in the circle. The Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, native failed to record a single strikeout.

Game #2: Polk State College 8, #18 Madison College 3 (5 innings)

The day's second game saw WolfPack starter Kiana Patterson fall behind with Polk State College tallying one run in the first and three more in the third. Down 4-0, Madison College mounted a comeback by loading the bases on a hit batter and two singles to start the fourth inning. Following two outs, Chariell Butler was hit by a pitch to force in the team's first run, and catcher Makenna Gish hit a hard ground ball through the right side to bring in Sophie Rivera and Bri Unger. The Eagles got one run back in the bottom half and added three more in the fifth when the rains came and eventually wiped out the rest of the game.

Patterson dropped to 0-3 to start the season after tossing 3.1 innings and allowing one earned run out of five runs scored on five hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out one before giving way to Casey Fountain for the final 1.1 innings. Fountain surrendered three earned runs, four hits, and a walk.

Gish, a native of West Bend, Wisconsin, finished 2 for 3 with two runs batted in and leads the WolfPack in nearly all offensive categories through 15 games. Unger also registered a pair of hits, while Rivera and VonBehren each had one. All three scored a single run.

The WolfPack was scheduled to play rematches with Iowa Lakes Community College and Niagara County Community College on Wednesday, March 16 in Kissimmee, followed by a trip to Titusville to take on North Central Missouri College and Parkland College on Thursday, March 17, however, all four games were eventually rained out.

Up Next:

Madison College (10-5) will take a week off and return to action with their home opener on Sunday, March 27 against Triton College (12-3) at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field. The former conference rivals split a pair of games in 2021, and the WolfPack boast a 24-12 all-time record over the Trojans. Game one is slated for a noon start, followed by an expected 2:00 p.m. first pitch in the nightcap. 

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