DIXON, ILL. - Behind a record-tying performance from sophomore Charlie Marion, the Madison College baseball team completed a road sweep of Region 4 foe Sauk Valley Community College on Friday, winning a 17-0 blowout in the opener and closing with a 3-1 decision in the finale. Marion used two home runs to generate seven runs batted in to start the day and tie the program record for RBI in a game. With two wins, the WolfPack is now 27-8 all-time against the Skyhawks and have won 17 consecutive head-to-head meetings.

Game #1: #17 Madison College 17, Sauk Valley Community College 0 (5 innings)

Marion got his big day started early as the second batter of the game sent a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. The differential jumped to 5-0 in the second inning with a two-out rally. Two walks and a single loaded the bases and back-to-back two-run singles from Nick Nowak and Marion pushed four runs across.

Freshman Kobe Vosberg came through with a up the middle in the third inning, and an error by the center fielder allowed James Duncan and Will Johannes ot score for a 7-0 lead. The advantage moved to 9-0 in the fourth when first year infielder Charlie Schau lined a double to center and plated Marion and Payton Frehner.

The already lopsided score turned into a rout in the fifth inning as the WolfPack closed out a run-ruled victory with eight more runs. Three walks loaded the bases for Marion, who took advantage with the second Madison College grand slam of the season. His deep drive to center gives the Franklin, Wisconsin, native, a team-leading six homers and 24 runs batted in. Four more walks followed to force in another run on a free pass to Duncan, and after a RBI-single by sophomore Grant Ross made it 15-0, Vosberg and Sam Steuber each picked up a run batted in with a bases loaded hit by pitch and walk, respectively, to put the final runs on the board.



Marion finished a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate and became the fourth player in program history to drive in seven runs in a single game. He also scored three runs to tie for team-high honors in that category. Duncan was the other player with three runs scored as he went 1 for 2 with two walks and a RBI.

Ross was the only other player with multiple hits, going 2 for 2 with two walks, one run scored, and one batted in. Vosberg finished with two runs and two RBI as part of a 1 for 1 day with three free passes. Schau drove in a pair of runs and scored another. Nowak, Frehner, and Johannes each touched home twice, with Nowak picking up a RBI.

Not to be overshadowed, sophomore pitcher Michael Carpenter (2-2) tossed a five-inning shutout with three hits and eight strikeouts. The former Arrowhead HS athlete now boasts three games with eight K's through his first six appearances. He leads the team with 38 strikeouts and a 2.16 earned run average over 25.0 innings of work.

Game #2: #17 Madison College 3, Sauk Valley Community College 1

The two teams played a much more competitive game in the day's finale. Madison College took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a fielder's choice ground ball to shortstop that was good enough to score Nick Nowak after the sophomore led off the frame with an infield single.

Sauk Valley Community College (7-8) tallied its lone run of the day in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a lead off double and a run-scoring single two batters later. 

Tied 1-1 in the fifth, second year slugger Will Johannes stepped to the plate with a runner on and two out, and smashed the first pitch he saw beyond the left field wall for a two-run homer to put the WolfPack ahead 3-1. 

Madison College limited SVCC to just ten batters over the last three innings to maintain the two-run advantage.

Freshman Jalen Gellings had two hits, while Johannes finished with a hit, two runs batted in, and a run scored. He now has four homers. Nowak tallied a team-high two runs scored on a hit and two walks.

A trio of arms held the Skyhawks at bay, starting with freshman Noah Musolf (2-0) picking up his second win after hurling four innings of one-run baseball. He allowed three hits and struck out a career-best six batters. Liam Stumpf took over for two scoreless innings and was tagged for one hit, while fanning one. Grant Ross came in to close out the win, and did so with two strikeouts in the seventh innings to secure his first save of the season.

Up Next:

Madison College (11-7) will finally close out its 19-game, season-opening road swing with a 1x9 on Tuesday, April 2 at Region 4 rival Rock Valley College (15-9). The all-time series stands at 41-22 in favor of the WolfPack, who have won six in a row against the Golden Eagles. First pitch in Rockford, Illinois, is set for 2:30 p.m. in the opener of a home-and-home series with RVC. Watch and follow live via the GameChanger app.

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