CRYSTAL LAKE, ILL. - The Madison College baseball team was unable to generate enough offense Wednesday and dropped their second consecutive 1x9 in Region 4 play with a 6-1 setback at McHenry County College. The battle between two teams ranked in the NJCAA Division II Poll saw the #17 Scots produce three runs in two separate innings in the opener of a home-and-home series with the #6 WolfPack, who still lead the all-time series by a 31-14-1 margin.

Neither team scored in the first two innings despite both having runners aboard in each, but Madison broke through in the third with a run. Carson Shepard was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and two batters later, was able to score from second as Gabe Roessler grounded a ball through the left side.

The advantage held until the bottom of the fourth when McHenry County College (35-7) saw the first four batters all reach safely, the last of which was a bases-clearing double to make it 3-1. The WolfPack continued to leaves runners aboard in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, and when MCC returned to the plate in the bottom of seventh, they padded their lead with one swing. A lead off single and a error put two runners on for the Scots' catcher and #5 hitter, and he deposited the first offering from starter Michael Carpenter beyond the right field wall for a 6-1 lead.

Adam Balcerak replaced Carpenter after that pitch and kept McHenry off the scoreboard, however, the WolfPack offense only had one hit the remainder of the game.

Carpenter (2-2), a former Arrowhead HS athlete, struck out six batters over six innings, while also allowing five earned runs out of six runs total on six hits and four walks. Balcerak tossed two innings with three hits, one walk, and two K's.

Half of Madison College's eight hits came from Roessler and Payton Frehner. Roessler, a native of Rockton, Illinois, was 2 for 4 with a run batted in. Frehner also had two hits, with Shepard tallied a hit and a run.

Up Next: 

Madison College (29-8) will seek some revenge on Thursday, April 27 when McHenry County College travels to Robin Roberts Field for another 1x9 to complete the home-and-home. First pitch is at 3:00 p.m.

Watch live at MadisonCollege.tv and follow live stats via the GameChanger app.

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