MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College softball team was supposed to play their first home game at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field on March 27, and nearly three weeks later, it finally happened. The WolfPack split a Region 4 doubleheader against Sauk Valley Community College on Saturday, rallying for a 7-6 walk-off win in extra innings in the opener before taking a 7-3 loss in the nightcap on a cold, windy afternoon. Madison College still leads the all-time series by a 14-4 margin.

Game #1: Madison College 7, Sauk Valley Community College 6 (5 innings)

Madison College started out on the right foot, scoring a run in the first inning with a solo home run by left fielder Maddie Kvatek. The homer marked her third in as many days. It remained a one-run game until the fourth inning when SVCC smashed the first of two three-run homers off starter Casey Fountain, who was hit by a line drive in the prior at bat. The WolfPack rallied in the sixth to regain the lead at 4-3. Fountain helped her own cause with a double to drive in Kvatek, and a two-out error by the Skyhawks allowed the tying run to come in. Then shortstop Ellie Rademacher drove a double to left, allowing Chariell Butler to tally the go-ahead run.

Back in the circle, Fountain recorded the first two outs of the seventh, however, back-to-back singles put runners on for opposing pitcher Peyton Yanes. She sent the first pitch she saw over the left field wall and propelled SVCC to a 6-4 advantage. Down to their final at bats, the WolfPack kept fighting and clawed out two runs on RBI hits by Kvatek and Fountain to force extra innings tied at 6-6. Following a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, Mia Noelker singled on a hard ground ball up the middle to start the home half. Two batters later, catcher Abbie Cavadini lined a single to right and pinch runner Taylor VonBehren raced in from third to give the Pack a walk-off win.

Fountain finished with a team-high three hits, all of which were doubles, and drove in a pair of runs, while also scoring one. The Poynette, Wisconsin, native also tossed all eight innings and tied a season-high for strikeouts with 11 for her third double-digit K effort this spring. Fountain was tagged for six runs on ten hits and a walk as she improved to 6-2.

Kvatek, a native of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, went 2 for 3 with a season-best three runs scored, to go along with a pair of RBI. Cavadini's game-winning hit was her second of the game and produced her lone run batted in.

Madison College improved its win streak over the Skyhawks to six straight.

Game #2: Sauk Valley Community College 7, Madison College 3

Sauk Valley Community College (9-6) continued to put the pressure on WolfPack pitching with a run in the first inning and two more in the second to assume a 3-0 advantage. Madison College cut into it with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second with a base-loaded, two-run single off the bat of Chariell Butler that plated Ellie Rademacher and Mia Noelker. Still a one-run differential through four innings, the Skyhawks forced starter Mallory Sterling out of the game with three runs on four hits, a walk, and an error. Reliever Addison Warner surrendered another run in the sixth to put the visitors up 7-2. The WolfPack tacked on one run in the seventh, and had the tying run at the plate with one out and the bases loaded, however, Brianna Brandner's hard line drive was caught by the third baseman, who tagged out Kiana Patterson to end the game.

Four players registered a pair of hits for the Pack. Butler, a third baseman from La Crosse, Wisconsin, drove in a team-high two runs with her two hits, and Rademacher registered a run scored and a run batted in.

Sterling (3-3) was credited for three earned runs out of six total allowed, as well as seven hits, three walks, and three strikeouts over 4.1 innings. Warner tossed the final 2.2 innings of one-run ball with three hits and a walk allowed. She also struck out four.

Up Next:

Madison College (16-8, 4-1) is on the road Tuesday, April 19 with a crucial doubleheader in the North Central Community College Conference against Rock Valley College (26-6, 8-0). The Golden Eagles, who are ranked #1 in the NJCAA Division III Poll and won their seventh national title last spring, defeated the WolfPack 14-1 at the N4C Dome Jamboree on March 3 to push their all-time series lead to 41-19. First pitch in Rockford, Illinois, is set for 3:00 p.m., with game two expected to begin at 5:00 p.m. The games can be watched and followed live via GameChanger. Here are the links to the RVC live stream: Game 1 | Game 2

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