MADISON, WISC. - Saturday's Region 4 matchup of nationally-ranked teams saw Madison College earn two wins by one run each as they extended their win streak to 16 games. Following a hard-fought 3-2 decision in the opener, the WolfPack, ranked #4 in the NJCAA Division II Polls, rallied to force extra innings before taking down Joliet Junior College, currently ranked #12 in the NJCAA Division III Poll, with a 7-6 victory in nine innings. Sophomore Howie Rickett delivered the game-winning hit as the Pack improved to 44-21 all-time against the Wolves.

Game #1: #4 Madison College 3, #12 Joliet Junior College 2

The score opened in the second inning when Joliet Junior College blasted a two-run homer over the center field fence for a 2-0 lead against starter Braycen Burg. His teammates had his back and immediately tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half. Tyler Butina led off with his first career triple, and scored two batters later on Charlie Schau's line drive single to left. An error and an hit by pitched loaded the bases with two outs, and freshman JJ Wolbert drew another free pass to force in Schau and tie the score.

Still even in the fifth inning, a leadoff walk of Jalen Gellings, who advanced from first to third on a bunt single from Nate Novinska. Another bunt dropped down by Marcelino Edison Alonso scored Gellings for a 3-2 lead.

A trio of first year Madison College arms limited the Wolves to two runs and three hits. Burg worked four innings and was credited with the two runs and three hits, while also striking out two. Broden Jackson (3-0) got the win as the former Milton HS athlete tossed two scoreless innings and fanned three batters, while Landon Dessart secured his first save with a 1-2-3 seventh that included one K.

Schau, a native of Park Ridge, Illinois, had two of the team's five hits, while led to a run batted in and one RBI. Butina posted a hit and a run scored, with Novinska and Ryan Santi each producing one hit, as well. 



Game #2: #4 Madison College 7, #12 Joliet Junior College 6 (9 innings)

Game two created even more drama as the teams battled into extra innings. Madison College (32-7) jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage in the first inning with a pair of home runs. Marcelino Edison Alonso registered the first with a two-run homer to left for his seventh of the season. Two batters later, Charlie Schau ripped a two-out solo home run to left for his first of the season and fourth of his career.

Joliet Junior College (24-24) fired back with a four-run second inning to take their first lead of the game. The Wolves racked up four hits and three walks in the inning. Back-to-back walks in the top of the third set up JJC for another run-scoring opportunity, which they took advantage of with a single to make it 5-3. More free passes in the fourth allowed the Wolves to pushed the lead to 6-3 as they loaded the bases on three walks and used a ground out to push in a run.

The comeback effort for the WolfPack began in the bottom of the fourth with freshman Sam Moses hitting line drive single to right that scored Chris Calico from second base to make it a 6-4 game. 

One swing of the bat in the fifth tied the game at 6-6. With Alonso aboard courtesy of a bunt single, freshman Tyler Butina crushed a game-tying two-run home run to center. It's his fourth homer of the year.

Still tied entering the bottom of the ninth, an error and two intentional walks filled the bases for Schau. After the second year third baseman was retired on a hard line drive to the shortstop, sophomore catcher Howie Rickett step to the plate and lined a walk-off single to left to score Nate Novinska as the winning run.



Alonso, a native of Reesdburg, Wisconsin, led the WolfPack with two hits, two walks, two runs, and two runs batted in. Moses came through with his second two-hit game of the season and drove in one run.

Butina finished the game with a hit, a run scored, and two RBI, while Schau had a hit, a run batted in, and a run scored. Novinska matched Alonso with two runs scored as part of a 1 for 3 game.

Madison College used five different pitchers. Ben Kasten got the start and struck out four in 2.2 innings, which also included five runs on six hits and four walks. Axel Donaldson (4-0) got the win in relief after Mason Sherman, Chase Baker, and Carson Klaus all saw time on the hill. Donaldson struck out two of the three batters he faced.

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