MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College softball team avoided being swept on their home diamond Sunday, rallying to beat Triton College in the final game to earn a Region 4 doubleheader split at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field. The Trojans held off a late home team rally in the opener to win 3-2, but the WolfPack answered back with a 9-4 decision in game two to remain .500 on the season. The Pack maintains a 25-16 lead in the all-time series with their former conference rivals. 

Game #1: Triton College 3, Madison College 2

Triton College jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on the road with back-to-back two-out doubles against sophomore Claire Smedema in the first half inning. Madison College put a pair of runners on thanks to errors by the Trojans, but saw the next three batters all strike out to end the inning. After getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, the WolfPack again stranded runners in the second and third innings. 

The Trojans made it 3-0 in the fifth, which also saw the home team use a Briar Armatoski double and a pair of walks to fill the base paths. Unfortunately, Makenna Gish grounded out to short. Facing their final at-bats, Madison finally came through with some clutch hits. Sammy Nelson led off with a double and advanced to third on an error. Karis Paulson singled her in, and then eventually scored on a two-out double by Gish. With the tying run at second, second year Ellie Rademacher was called out on strikes to end the game. 

Madison College left ten runners on base in the game, and saw five different players produce a hit. Paulson, a former Monroe HS athlete, tallied a hit, a run scored, and one batted in to pace the Pack, which finished with three extra base hits.

Smedema (4-2) suffered her first loss since March 14 despite holding the Trojans to three runs over seven innings. The righty was touched for nine hits and a walk, while striking out three batters.

Game #2: Madison College 9, Triton College 4

Game two was headed down a similar path as the opener with Triton College (30-18) posting a run in the top of the first against freshman Ella Wyskochil. A defensive struggle continued until the fifth when the Trojans created some separation with a run to make it 2-0. 

In need of a spark, the WolfPack found it in the bottom half of the fifth. Hannah Aldrich led off with a pinch hit single, and three consecutive hits by Mackenna Schultz, Jenna Redders, and Sammy Nelson tied the game at 2-2 with Redders and Nelson picking up a RBI each. With two outs, Karis Paulson drove a line drive to center that scored two more runs, but was thrown out at second to end the inning with the Pack on top 4-2.

Following a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, Madison continued pouring in runs in the bottom half. A bases loaded double from Madison Coubal plated Sophie Rivera and Makenna Gish, and a passed ball combined with a throwing error brought Ellie Rademacher and Coubal around to score for an 8-2 differential.  A wild pitch two batters later was enough to bring Schultz in for a 9-2 lead. The Trojans did tally two more runs in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to keep their 11-game win streak alive.

Coubal, a native of Muskego, Wisconsin, was 2 for 3 with two runs batted in and one run scored, while Paulson had two hits and two runs batted in. Redders and Nelson each had a hit, a run scored, and a RBI. Schultz scored two times on a hit and a walk.

Wyskochil (1-3) earned her first collegiate victory with seven innings of work and a career-high four strikeouts. The New Berlin, Wisconsin, product allowed nine hits and four earned runs.

Up Next:

Madison College (16-16) hits the road on Wednesday, April 26 to play at Illinois Valley Community College (14-12) in a makeup Region 4 doubleheader from April 17. The WolfPack has won ten straight over the Eagles and owns a 13-5 lead all-time. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m., with game two to follow at approximately 5:00 p.m.

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