MADISON, WISC. - A back-and-forth doubleheader between Madison College and Kankakee Community College ended with a split of the two Region 4 softball games at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field. The WolfPack rallied twice in the opener to earn a 9-7 win, and the Cavaliers, ranked #19 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, returned the favor with a late surge to take the finale by a 7-5 count. The split puts the all-time series at 6-1 in favor of the Pack.

Game #1: Madison College 9, #19 Kankakee Community College 7

Both teams got on the scoreboard in the opening inning, with Kankakee Community College plating two on a single to center and the WolfPack taking advantage of an error, a stolen base, a ground out, and a wild pitch to get freshman Abbey Remington across home plate.

A two-run homer off Madison College starter Kendall Weik put the Cavaliers up 4-1 in the third, with ended after a RBI double to push the differential to four runs.

The WolfPack began their first comeback effort in the bottom of the third when consecutive errors put two runners on ahead of sophomore Mackenna Schultz, who drove a triple to left to make it 5-3. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Karis Paulson narrowed the gap to 5-4. In the sixth, Hannah Aldrich opened with a single and scored two batters later on a three-bagger from freshman Ava Stahl to pull the score even at 5-5. 

Three straight KCC singles in the top of the sixth gave the visitors a 7-5 lead to set the stage for yet another Madison College comeback. In the bottom half, Remington followed another leadoff single by Aldrich with a ground ball to left field, and a fielding error allowed Aldrich to continue running around the bases and score. Stahl followd with another base hit to drive in Remington and tie the game at 7-7.

Freshman Brooke Anderson gave the WolfPack the lead for good with run-scoring double over the leftfielder's head, and then scored when sophomore Jenna Redders singled to center.



Weik (5-1) closed out the game with a scoreless top of the seventh to earn her fifth victory. She was tagged for seven runs on nine hits and two walks, but did strike out nine batters.

Stahl finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, tying for team-high honors hits and RBI. Aldrich also had two hits and two runs scored, while driving in a run. Remington led the WolfPack with three runs scored, to go along with one hit. And Schultz was 1 for 2 with a walk, two runs driven in, and one run scored.

Game #2: #19 Kankakee Community College 7, Madison College 5

Kankakee Community College (22-3) used their second home run of the day to take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first against freshman Brooke Steinhorst. Madison College plated two runs in the second to go up 2-1. Karis Paulson's single through the right side allowed Madison Coubal to score all the way from first, and Rylee Rogers drove in Paulson with her own ground ball through the left side. 

The Cavaliers went back on top in the third when two runs came in on a single to left. The runs both crossed before Steinhorst re-routed the cutoff to throw out a runner at third.

Madison College kept the bats going in the home half with three runs on three hits and an error. Brooke Anderson drove a double to center to score Ava Stahl, and a Coubal base hit to right brought Anderson and Jenna Redders in for a 5-3 advantage. 

It remained a two-run game until the sixth inning, where KCC used a walk and two singles to tie the game at 5-5. After a line drive struck Steinhorst and forced the righthander out of the game. sophomore Ella Wyskochil allowed a two-run double to the first batter she faced to give the Cavaliers a 7-5 lead with a four-run frame.

Madison College stranded two runners in the sixth and one in the seventh to end the twin bill in a split. 

Seven different WolfPack players recorded a hit in the game, with Coubal leading the way by posting a two runs batted in and a run scored. Anderson and Paulson each finished with a run and a RBI.

Steinhorst (4-2) took the loss with seven runs allowed, five of which were earned, on nine hits and four walks in her 5.2 innings of work. Wyskochil tossed the final 1.1 innings, limiting KCC to two hits and struck out one batter.

Up Next:

Madison College (12-3) was scheduled to host Black Hawk College (13-10) on Monday, April 1 in a makeup from March 23. A forecast for rain forced yet another rescheduling to Friday, April 26. The WolfPack will now open a six-game road swing on Thursday, April 4 with two games at Region 4 opponent South Suburban College (6-15). Madison College leads the all-time series with the Bulldogs by an 11-5 count, including wins in the last six games. Watch and follow the games live via the GameChanger app.

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