MESA, ARIZ. - A wild, back-and-forth baseball game Wednesday ended with Madison College earning a 10-9 victory over GateWay Community College at
Gene Autry Park. Freshman
JJ Wolbert came through with a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth after the #17-ranked WolfPack rallied from an early four-run deficit before seeing their own four-run advantage evaporate. The win closes the gap in the all-time series with the Geckos to 10-6.
GateWay Community College (7-21) got out to a fast start with a four-run bottom of the first. The Geckos used three hits, one hit batter, and two errors to grab the game's first lead.
The WolfPack got one run back in the second as
James Duncan singled to right to score
Marcelino Edison Alonso, who opened the inning with a walk.
After the deficit returned to four runs thanks to back-to-back GCC doubles in the fourth, Madison College began their rally. Another leadoff walk issued to
Jack Bauer eventually culminated in a run when
Beau Bloxdorf produced a RBI single.
A massive five-run sixth inning flipped the scoreboard and put Madison College up 8-5. Duncan drove in the first run with a single up the middle to plate
Howie Rickett. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases, and
Brady Henry forced in a run with a walk of his own. Two more runs scored on a fielder's choice and an error before
Ryan Santi lined a single to right to cap the scoring as Wolbert and Bloxdorf crossed home.
Another run in the seventh pushed the advantage to 9-5. Duncan led off with a single up the middle, and freshman
Tyler Butina doubled him in with a line drive to right.
The Geckos, however, didn't fold and put three runs on the board in the seventh to pull within a run. They tied the game at 9-9 in the eighth with a run scored on a passed ball.
In the top of the ninth, the WolfPack put runners on with consecutive walks, and with
Nate Novinska aboard at third, Wolbert lofted a pop fly to center that allowed Novinska to be the go-ahead run. Righthander
Sam Steuber worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts to complete the win.
Duncan, a native of Sussex, Wisconsin, finished 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two runs batted in to lead the offensive effort. Wolbert and Santi each had a hit and two RBI, with Wolbert also scoring a run. And Bloxdorf and Butina both notched a hit, a run, and a run driven in.
On the hill, starter
Noah Marschke worked for four innings and allowed five runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits and a two walks. He also fanned four batters. Fellow freshman
Mason Sherman entered for two innings and was tagged for three runs, two hits, and three walks with three strikeout. Steuber (2-0) earned his second win of the season thanks to six K's over three innings. He limited the Geckos to one run and two hits.
Up Next:
Madison College (6-4) will get a third attempt at beating #3-ranked South Mountain Community College (24-11) on Thursday, March 20 in the penultimate game of the Arizona Spring Trip. The Cougars have defeated the WolfPack twice this trip by scores of 6-5 and 7-1. The game can be watched and followed live via the GameChanger app.
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