MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College and Joliet Junior College baseball team mirrored each other for most of Saturday's Region 4 and North Central Community College Conference doubleheader at Robin Roberts Field. Freshman Clayton Slack delivered a 3-2 walk-off wins in extra innings in the day's first game, and the Wolves, who are the defending N4C champs and ranked #8 in the NJCAA Division III Poll, answered with a 5-1 victory in the finale. The WolfPack, ranked #6 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, are up 40-21 in the all-time series.

Game #1: #6 Madison College 3, #8 Joliet Junior College 2 (9 innings)

Following a pair of three up, three down half innings, Joliet struck first with a double and a run-scoring single to start the second against starter Alex Hayes. The WolfPack answered back in the home half with a run on a productive ground out from freshman Evan Iwinski that scored Grant Ross, who reached on an error.

Both teams plated a run in their half of the third inning, as well. The Wolves used a pair of singles to set up a sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead, and sophomore Dayton Rozinski-Hicks lined a double to right to bring home Clayton Slack after the first year infielder single to begin the inning.

The game remained even at 2-2 through the regulated seven innings, and moved into extras, where Joliet failed to scored in a bases loaded situation in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, Payton Frehner hit a two-bagger to the wall in center, and two batters later, raced in to score as Slack's two-out blooper to center landed for his third single of the game. 



Slack, a native of Viroqua, Wisconsin, went 3 for 5 for his third three-hit game of the season. He was also the only player to score a run and drive one in. Rozinski-Hicks also had multiple hits in the game, as the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native went 2 for 4 with a RBI.

Hayes was on the hill for 7.1 innings in a no-decision that saw him strike out five batters. The sophomore lefthander gave up two runs on six hits and a walk. First year arm Grant Ross took over in the eighth and earned the win to improve to 2-0. He finished with 1.2 innings of work, four strike outs, a hit, and a walk.

Game #2: #8 Joliet Junior College 5, #6 Madison College 1

The WolfPack seemed to start on the right foot in the second game, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Dayton Rozinski-Hicks led off with a single to center, and two batters later, Gabe Roessler drove him in with a double to left. Joliet Junior College (30-21, 5-3) came right back and tied it up in the second with a run on a hit and an error.

The Wolves began to separate in the third with when a leadoff double was followed by a balk and wild pitch against starter Andres Kleinsek. A RBI-single in the fourth made it 3-1, and two runs on three hits and a hit batter in the fifth capped the scoring at 5-1.

The Madison College offense was limited to a single base runner in all but one inning. The five hits by five different players ties for the fourth-fewest hits this season. Leading the way was Rozinski-Hicks with a hit and a run, and Roessler with a hit and a run batted in.

Kleinsek (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season after tossing 4.1 innings and striking out four. He was tagged for five runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits and two free passes. Allen Leitner tossed the final 2.2 innings and scattered three hits and a walk, while striking out three.

Up Next: 

A postponement due to rain on Sunday shifted the Madison College (31-9, 5-1) doubleheader at Black Hawk College (28-18) to Monday, May 1. First pitches of the Region 4 games are set for 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Moline, Illinois. The WolfPack leads the all-time series by a 25-13 count and has won seven straight.

The rescheduled doubleheader also forced the moving of Monday's home 1x9 with Kishwaukee College to Friday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m. at Robin Roberts Field.

Watch and follow Monday's games live via the GameChanger app.

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