GLEN ELLYN, ILL. - A fast start and a four-run seventh inning added up to an 11-7 Region 4 road win for the Madison College baseball team at the College of DuPage on Wednesday. Charlie Marion hit an early home run, and pitchers Gradin Taschner and Eamonn Mulhern combined to keep the Chaparrals bats at bay. The WolfPack is now 31-5-1 all-time against COD and has won ten of the last 11 meetings.

Marion got the game started with a solo home run in the top of the first inning. The second year outfielder from Franklin, Wisconsin, leads the team with four homers. The WolfPack added another run in the second inning as Jake Petasek's ground ball up the middle drove in Grant Ross.

The two-run lead didn't last long as the College of DuPage (3-6) put up two runs in the home half of the second with a solo home run and an error on Charlie Schau at third base. Madison College, however, answered right back with a three-run third inning. A fielder's choice off the bat of James Duncan allowed Marion to score for the second time and a wild pitch brought Will Johannes in from third. The COD walked three consecutive batters, the last of which was issued to Petasek with the bases loaded to force in Duncan for a 5-2 advantage.

Despite another Chaparrals run in the third cut the differential to two runs until another two runs went on the scoreboard for the visitors in the fifth. Following a leadoff double from Duncan and a base on balls to Ross, COD misplayed a bunt by Marcelino Alonso to score Duncan. Then Ross touched home courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Petasek.

The College of DuPage closed the to a single run in the sixth with three runs on three hits and three free passes. A half inning later, the Pack produced four runs to create some breathing room. Nick Nowak drove a line drive to center and plated Petasek to make it 8-6. Three batters later, Schau, a freshman infielder from Park Ridge, Illinois, stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He lined a double to right to clear the bases for an 11-6 ball game.



A pair of doubles in the bottom of the seventh for COD tacked on a run before Mulhern, a sophomore from Madison, Wisconsin, closed out the win and a three-inning save.

Taschner (3-0), a freshman transfer from Illinois State University, opened the game with 5.2 innings of work, yielding six runs, five of which were earned, on eight hits and a walk. He struck out four en route to his third win before giving way to Mulhern for his first career save. The righthander gave up a run on five hits and a walk, while recording one strikeout, in three-plus innings.

Petasek, a New Franken, Wisconsin, product, went 2 for 3 with a walk, a career-high three runs batted in, and a run scored. Schau also finished 2 for 3 with a walk and a career-best three RBI.

Marion also finished the game with a pair of hits, two runs scored, and a run batted in. Johannes, Duncan, and Ross all matched Marion with a pair of runs scored.

Up Next:

Madison College (9-6) is right back on the road Thursday, March 28 for a Region 4 contest at Highland Community College (4-8). The WolfPack has won nine straight over the Cougars and boast a 44-6 lead in the head-to-head series. First pitch of the 1x9 in Freeport, Illinois, is set for 3:00 p.m. Watch and follow live via the GameChanger app.

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