MADISON, WISC. - Three days later than it was originally scheduled for, Madison College softball enjoyed pristine conditions for a late-March home opener on Monday; however, the results were less than pristine as Rock Valley College stole the show with a resounding sweep of the Region 4 doubleheader at Robert D. Goodman Softball Field. The #5-ranked Golden Eagles defeated the WolfPack by scores of 12-3 in six innings and 12-0 in five innings, with both games ending via the run-rule. The Pack has now lost 16 consecutive games to RVC, who leads the all-time series 54-19. 

Game #1: #5 Rock Valley College 12, Madison College 3 (6 innings)

Rock Valley College took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on back-to-back singles with a passed ball in between. They broke the game open in the second with five runs on six hits, the first two of which went for extra bases and the next four came consecutively. Another run in the third made it 7-0, which it remained until the top of the sixth. The Golden Eagles posted five more runs with three hits and three walks for the 12-0 advantage.

Madison College continued to fight in their lats at-bats, needing five runs to keep the game alive. Freshman Sadie Svendsen led of with a single and triggered a run of four straight base hits, more than double their total to that point in the game. Left fielder Kelsen Meverden's single to left scored Svendsen, and catcher Hayden Schabel lined a hit to left to plate Cassie Coffey. Pinch hitter Cathryn Zegadlo later grounded out to second, which was good enough to score Meverden for a 12-3 differential.

Svendsen, a native of Huntley, Illinois, and Coffey, a former Sun Prairie East HS athlete, both had two hits and a run scored. Coffey continued her hot hitting and has now hit safely in 10 of her last 16 at bats over four games.

Meverden, a freshman from Wausau, Wisconsin, and Schabel each posted a hit and a run batted in, with Meverden also scoring once. Zegadlo added a RBI.

In the circle, sophomore Lauryn Etienne (3-1) suffered her first loss of the season, giving up seven runs, six of which were earned, on nine hits and a walk. She did strike out five batters before Sophie Golembiewski threw the final inning and was tagged for five runs on three hits and three walks.

Game #2: #5 Rock Valley College 12, Madison College 0 (5 innings)

The day's final game played out in much the same fashion. Rock Valley College (29-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. The game's first run was the result of a leadoff walk issued by starter Gretta Lewis, followed by a steal of second and an error by catcher Cassie Coffey to allow the runner to advance to third, followed by a passed ball producing the run. Three batters later, the Golden Eagles went ahead by three with a two-run homer to left field.

The differential grew to 8-0 in the second with five runs on three hits, two walks, and an error. With the bases loaded in the third, RVC added two more runs with a walk and a passed ball. A run-scoring double in the fourth and a RBI single in the fifth capped the scoring.



Lewis (3-2) worked 2.1 innings and was tagged for nine earned runs of the ten allowed, and gave up five hits with six walks. She struck out one batter. Ella Knoble entered and walked the only two batters she faced, while also allowing a run to score via a passed ball before handing things over to Sophie Golembiewski for the final 2.2 innings. She was credited with two K's, as well as two earned runs, five hits, and one walk. 

At the plate, the WolfPack had just four hits, with one each by Kelsey Meverden, Raegan Schwarz, Aubrey Juga, and Cathryn Zegadlo. The base knock by Meverden extends her current hitting streak to five games.

Up Next: 

Madison College (9-7) will be back on the road Friday to face another ranked team within Region 4 as they battle Joliet Junior College (21-6). The WolfPack is 41-16 all-time against the Wolves, who are ranked #5 in the NJCAA Division III Poll. First pitch of the doubleheader in Joliet, Illinois, is set for 3:00 p.m., with live video and stats available via the GameChanger app.

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