GRAYSLAKE, ILL. - Wednesday's 1x9 to begin a Region 4 home-and-home against the College of Lake County was business as usual for Madison College, which picked up a 9-3 victory three days after suffering the team's third loss of the year. The #4-ranked WolfPack were led by starting pitcher Ben Kasten and his career-high nine strikeouts, while fellow freshmen Grant Ross and Carson Shepard combined for six of the team's 13 hits. Madison College is now 31-7 all-time against the Lancers, who swept last year's doubleheader and will visit Robin Roberts Field on April 25.

After failing to score with a man on third in each of the first two innings, Madison broke open the game with three runs in the third. Shepard opened with a double and scored two batters later with a single off the bat of Carter Stebane. The sophomore eventually touched home on a line drive single to right by Ross, and wild pitch allowed Will Johannes to race in. The lead stretched to 4-0 an inning later when, with two on and one out, Stebane hit a fielder's choice ground ball that yielded a run when Lake County (12-5) committed an error trying to complete an inning-ending double play.

With Kasten dealing from the hill, a four-run top of the sixth put the game out of reach. The Pack loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, and a hit by pitch of Ross forced in Charlie Marion. Back-to-back fielder's choice ground balls from Clayton Slack and Ryan Santi allowed Stebane and Johannes, respectively, to score. Ross crossed home on another wild pitch to complete the frame.

The Lancers finally got on the board with a run in the home half of the sixth, and both teams dented the scoreboard in the ninth. The WolfPack got a sacrifice fly from Johannes to bring in Marion, while the Lancers tacked on two runs before the visitors were able to close out the victory.

Kasten (1-0), a native of Hales Corners, Wisconsin, earned his first collegiate win after going seven innings and not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. He finished with one earned run on three hits and a pair of walks, but dominated opposing batters with nine K's to match teammate Alex Hayes for the most in an outing this season. The freshman righthander now boasts a team-high 20 strikeouts over 17.2 innings. The final two innings were completed by Andres Kleinsek in the eighth, and the duo of Adam Balcerak and Hayes in the ninth. Balcerak surrendered two runs on three hits and two walks with one strikeout before Hayes entered to final the final batter.

At the plate, Shepard and Ross combined to go 6 for 11 as two of the four Madison batters with multiple hits. Shepard, a Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, native, scored twice and Ross, a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, finished with a run scored and one batted in. Marion and Slack both registered two hits in the game, with Marion crossing home two times and Slack driving in a run. Stebane and Johannes each racked up two runs scored and a run batted in.

Up Next: 

Madison College (11-3) heads back into Illinois on Thursday to take on Region 4 foe Highland Community College (8-9). Due to weather, the scheduled doubleheader has been adjusted to a 1x9 starting at 3:00 p.m. in Freeport, Illinois. The WolfPack is 43-6 all-time against the Cougars, and have won eight straight head-to-head meetings.

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