SOUTH HOLLAND, ILL. - A walk-off homer and a come-from-behind rally decided Tuesday's Region 4 softball doubleheader between Madison College and South Suburban College, with the Bulldogs sweeping the away the WolfPack. After the Pack rallied for a late lead in the opener, SSC slammed the door with a two-run walk-off homer for a 7-6 victory, which the Bulldogs followed up by taking the nightcap 7-4 after scoring six unanswered runs to erase an early Madison College lead. The two setbacks snapped a six-game win streak for the WolfPack in head-to-head meetings, and also narrows the all-time series lead to 11-7 in favor of Madison College.

Game #1: South Suburban College 7, Madison College 6

South Suburban College grabbed the early advantage with a three-run first inning to get the afternoon started. Following a two-out double, freshman starter Kendall Weik gave up back-to-back home runs. It remained 3-0 until the top of the fifth when the WolfPack used a long ball of their own to get on the scoreboard. Sophomore Karis Paulson belted the first pitch of the inning past the centerfield wall for her first homer of the season and fourth of her career.

The Bulldogs answered with a run on a sacrifice fly in the home half; however, a three-run top of the sixth for the WolfPack evened the score. Jenna Redders doubled and Madison Coubal singled to put two runners on for Paulson, who took advantage with a two-run line drive down the first base line. An error two batters later on ground ball from Rylee Rogers allowed Paulson to touch home and tie the game at 4-4. The runs kept coming for both teams, as SSC regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out double that plated one run. 

With their backs against the wall in the seventh, the WolfPack rallied, and it started with a lead off triple from freshman Ava Stahl. She scored on a fielder's choice situation that saw Mackenna Schultz reach safely and the game was split 5-5. Following a sacrifice bunt to put the the go-ahead run at third, Redders lofted a pop fly to left deep enough to score Schultz on a sacrifice and give the visitors a one-run lead.

Weik remained in the game to try and close out the win, but unfortunately, the Bulldogs bats remained hot. A leadoff single brought the game-winning run to the plate in the form of sophomore Emily Bickett, who smashed the Bulldogs third home run of the day for a walk-off win.

Paulson, an outfielder from Monroe, Wisconsin, finished game going 2 for 3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Redders also went 2 for 3 as the shortstop from Middleton, Wisconsin, had one run scored and one driven in. Schultz matched Redders with a hit, a run, and a RBI.

Weik (6-2) took the loss after going six full innings and allowing six earned runs on 11 hits and a walk. The righthander from Fifield, Wisconsin, struck out two batters.

Game #2: South Suburban College 7, Madison College 4

In an effort to rebound from the heartbreaking loss, Madison College took the first lead of the day's second game. Three straight singles resulted in a first inning run as Jenna Redders drove in Ava Stahl on a line drive up the middle. The advantage grew to 3-0 in the second when freshman Rylee Rogers ripped a line drive and drove in Madison Coubal, which was followed by a productive ground out by first year Abbey Remington as she plated Karis Paulson.

South Suburban College (8-17), who left the bases loaded in the second inning, got on the scoreboard with two runs in the third. Bickett, the hero from game one, smashed her second home run of the day for a two-run blast to cut the differential to one run. The WolfPack made it 4-2 in the fourth when Remington turned a single into a run thanks to a SSC error, a wild pitch, and a steal of home.

The Bulldogs did all the scoring from that point on. Three hits and a walk in the bottom of the fourth added up to three runs and a 5-4 lead. Two more runs on four singles in the fifth pushed the score to 7-4 to complete the comeback. Madison College did bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh; however, Rogers flew out to left to end the game.

Coubal and Paulson each produced two hits and a run scored. Remington and Stahl both registered a hit and a run scored, with Remington also driving in a run.

Freshman Brooke Steinhorst (5-3) went 3.1 innings and surrendered five runs on eight hits and three walks. She fanned one batter before sophomore Hannah Aldrich took over out of the bullpen for the final 2.2 innings. Aldrich gave up two runs and five hits, and also racked up three K's.

Up Next:

Madison College (14-5) is back home for the first time in April on Wednesday when they welcome the College of Lake County (14-11) to Robert D. Goodman Softball Field for a Region 4 doubleheader. The Lancers own an 8-6 lead in the all-time series and have won four straight over the WolfPack. The twin bill begins at 3:00 p.m., followed by an expected 5:00 p.m. start for the nightcap. Watch the live stream at MadisonCollege.TV and follow live stats via the GameChanger app.

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