PALATINE, ILL. - In their first game action since returning from the South Carolina Spring Trip, the Madison College softball team rolled to a pair of Region 4 victories at Harper College, claiming a 15-2 decision in five innings and an 8-2 win on Tuesday. The WolfPack exploded for a season-high in runs and hits in the opener, led by a pair of 4 for 4 batter performances from sophomore Rylee Rogers and freshman Tristen Young, while second year Kendall Weik homered in the nightcap to help her own cause as the winning pitcher. The Pack now owns a 31-13-1 record all-time against the Hawks, with wins in 26 of the last 29 meetings.

Game #1: Madison College 15, Harper College 2 (5 innings)

The host Hawks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, plating two runs on two hits, one walk, an error, and a steal against starter Brooke Steinhorst. The sophomore righthander scattered one hit and two bases on balls the rest of the game. 

Madison College got its offense going in the third as they started their second run through the batting order. Sophomore Ava Stahl led off with a triple to center, and pinch runner Shelby Brooks scored on a Rogers single to left. Three batters later, Raegen Schwarz doubled to drive in Rogers and Brooke Anderson, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. Another double, this time off the bat of second year Maya Dzick, was good enough to bring in two more runs with Schwarz and Kendall Weik touching home. Tristen Young followed with a double of her own to center that scored Dzick for a 6-3 advantage. The big nine-run inning was far from over as Young scored on a Brooks ground out, and Rogers singled in Cora Nelson for a six-run advantage. The inning's final tally came as Rogers stole home following a walk of Anderson to make it 9-3.



The WolfPack added another run in the fourth with a two-out double to center from Young that saw Schwarz score from second. The remaining five runs of the 15 unanswered scored by Madison College came in the top of the fifth. Six consecutive base hits to start the frame added up to four runs, with Steinhorst and Schwartz driving in a run each and Weik doubling in a pair. One last fly ball single for Young scored Schwarz to cap the scoring and set up the run-rule win.

Rogers, a native of Belmont, Wisconsin, used her career-high four hits to score a season-best three runs and drive in two more. Young's career day included four hits, three RBI, and a run scored for the Wausau, Wisconsin, product. 

Schwarz was part of a quartet of players with two hits in the game, as the outfielder from Appleton, Wisconsin, scored a career-high three times and drove in three more runs. Madison College's set new season-highs with 15 runs and 19 hits.

Steinhorst, who was 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored and one batted in, improved to 3-2 in the circle with five strong innings and a season-best seven strikeouts. She allowed one earned run on three hits and three walks.

Game #1: Madison College 8, Harper College 2

Madison College again had to work from an early deficit in the nightcap of the doubleheader. The WolfPack put a run on the scoreboard in the top of the first when Brooke Anderson's productive ground out to second allowed Ava Stahl to race in from third. However, Harper College (0-2) answered with two runs in their half of the first frame. With two outs and a runner on first, the Hawks used a single, a passed ball, and error by second baseman Shelby Brooks to take a 2-1 lead.

The differential remained a single run until the top of the fourth. Starting pitcher Kendall Weik tied the game and ignited a five-run rally with a leadoff home run to center field. The long ball is the first of her career, and the first this season for the WolfPack. Two batters later, and after a Hawks error, Raegen Schwarz drove a double to right to score Tailer Bartelt for a 3-2 lead. Following an Emily Bopes single and steal, Brooks made up for her fielding miscue with a run-scoring ground out to second. She then scored on Ava Stahl's RBI-triple to right. A passed ball during the next at bat plated Stahl and the visitors held a 6-2 advantage.



The final runs were added in the fifth. Weik drew a one-out walk, and was pinch ran for by Kaley Koltz, who promptly stole second. Bartelt followed with a double to right to score Koltz, and then touched home herself when Schwarz lined a single up the middle.

Schwarz capped a very productive doubleheader with two hits, two runs batted in, and a run scored. Over the two games, she was 4 for 6 with two doubles, scored four runs, and recorded five RBI.

Bartelt, an Evansville, Wisconsin, native, registered two hits, two runs scored, and a run driven in. Rylee Rogers also finished with two hits, giving her six hits in seven at bats on the day.

Stahl, a former Wautoma HS athlete, tied Bartelt with two runs scored and drove in another with her lone hit. 

Weik (4-1) picked up the win as she struck out eight batters and allowed two unearned runs on four hits in her seven innings. The former Phillips HS athlete also was 1 for 3 at the dish with a run and a run batted in courtesy of the solo homer.



Up Next: 

Madison College (10-3) is back on the road Thursday, March 27 for a Region 4 doubleheader at Waubonsee Community College (11-6), which was previously scheduled for Sunday, March 30. The all-time series with the Chiefs stands at 18-14 in favor of the WolfPack; however, WCC has won four of the last six meetings. First pitch in Sugar Grove, Illinois, is set for 3:00 p.m., with game two schedule to begin at approximately 5:00 p.m. Follow live stats via the GameChanger app and stream live video at MadisonCollege.TV.

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