CLERMONT, FLOR. - Another day and another two-game split for the Madison College softball team, who has posted a 1-1 daily record in four of their five days so far in Florida. Monday saw the WolfPack fall short despite a late rally in a 5-4 setback against Heartland Community College, and the plate a pair of late runs to defeat Spoon River College 3-1 at Legends Way Ballfields. The Pack is 4-6 on the trip with one day of games remaining.

Game #9: Heartland Community College 5, Madison College 4

The Madison College bats took a while to warm up Monday, allowing the Hawks to race out to a 5-0 lead. Heartland College used a double and a single against starter Ella Wyskochil to plate the game's first run in the second inning, and then put together a five-hit, four-run third inning that included back-to-back RBI doubles.

The WolfPack cut the deficit to three in the top of the sixth, which began with a triple from sophomore Sammy Nelson. Nelson eventually scored on an error, and then Makenna Gish singled in Sophie Rivera. The inning ended with with two runners on. Down to their final at-bats, Madison College put the pressure on with a Kiana Patterson leadoff double. Nelson then singled through the left side to score pinch runner Madison Coubal. Rivera came through with a two-out, run-scoring triple that allowed Nelson to cross home plate and left the tying run just 60 feet away. Facing an 0-1 count, Gish ripped a line drive down the third base line that was snared by the third baseman to end the game.

Nelson, a native of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, was 3 for 4 in the game, scoring two runs and driving in one. Rivera and Gish each tallied two hits, with the former producing two RBI and a run scored.

Wyskochil (0-2) made her first career start in the circle and suffered her second loss in five appearances. The former New Berlin West athlete went six innings and was tagged for five earned runs on 13 hits. She also struck  career-high four batters in her longest outing of the season.

The loss brings the all-time series with Heartland Community College to all square at 2-2.

Game #10: Madison College 3, Spoon River College 1

Madison College grabbed the early advantage in the final game of the day, putting a run on the scoreboard in the second inning against the Snappers. With two runners on and one out, sophomore Ellie Rademacher's ground ball to shortstop was misplayed and allowed Sophie Rivera to come in to score. The lead held until the bottom of the fifth when Spoon River sandwiched a pair of singles around a WolfPack error to make it 1-1. 

Much like the day's first game, Madison College was ready to produce when it mattered most, and engineered a two-out rally in the top of the seventh to assume a 3-1 edge. Mackenna Schultz, a freshman from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, singled up the middle, scoring Chariell Butler, and two batters later, it was first year infielder Jenna Redders coming through with a line drive to center that scored Schultz from second.

Freshman Hannah Aldrich finished out her second complete game outing with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to improve to 2-0 on the year. The Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, native surrendered just one earned run on five hits and a walk over seven innings. The righthander fanned two.

Redders led the charge at the plate with her first career three-hit game, while also driving in a run. Rivera went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Schultz finished the game with a hit, a run batted in, and a run scored.

Madison College and Spoon River College have each won a game in the all-time series.

Up Next:

Madison College (6-6) wraps up their competitive schedule in Florida with two more games on Tuesday. They begin with a 10:30 a.m. CT first pitch against St. Louis Community College in the first-ever meeting against the Archers. At 1:00 p.m. CT, the WolfPack takes the field for the final time in the Sunshine State to play Cuyahoga Community College, who has won all three prior meetings. Follow games via the GameChanger app, and select games will stream live via Flo Softball. 

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