MADISON, WISC. - Robin Roberts Field has truly been a home field advantage for the Madison College baseball team, which had won all nine home games and 29 straight dating back to last season on their home grass. The consecutive wins streak ended Monday as Highland Community College used a four-run eighth inning to rally for an 8-6 win in Region 4 competition. The WolfPack, who moved up to #7 in the NJCAA Division II Poll prior to first pitch, are now 9-1 in home games this season and still boast a 51-8 lead in the all-time series despite a seven-game win streak over the Cougars also ending.

Highland Community College (21-18) put a run on the board in the opening half inning as the leadoff batter reached on a bunt, and also advanced to second on the play due to a throwing error by starting pitcher Chase Baker. Following a steal of third base, a run-scoring single to right made it 1-0. 

Madison College pulled even in the home half after freshmen Braylen White and Eason Hurd opened with singles, and White eventually scored on Nate Novinska's ground out to second. The WolfPack secured their first lead of the game in the second inning. Rightfielder Quinn Falish lined a double to right to begin the inning and later scored as first year designated hitter Blake Etzel drove him in with a single through the right side. The differential became 3-1 in the third when second baseman Paul Nuetzel hit a sacrifice fly to plate Novinska.

The Cougars closed the gap to 3-2 in the fourth; however, the fifth inning saw Nuetzel drive a ball to deep left-center that was good enough to score Novinska on another sac fly. In the sixth, HCC tied the game at 4-4 with a two-out rally that featured a walk, two singles, and a wild pitch. 

An error by Highland Community College eventually led to a go-ahead run for the Pack as Ian Salvesen crossed home on a sac fly by Falish. It would be the last lead of the game for Madison College. The Cougars used a solo home run from their No. 9 hitter to ignite a four-run eighth inning that featured two hits, a dropped third strike, a wild pitch, an error, and a walk to put the home team behind an 8-5 deficit.

Madison College got within two runs in their half of the eighth. Freshman centerfielder Matt Gruber doubled to the left field wall and then advances to third on a base hit by Braylen White. White eventually stole second, and as the Highland catcher's throw was off the mark, Gruber was able to race home. The WolfPack was unable to get any more runs in the eighth, and then the tying run on first in the ninth.

Novinska was 3 for 5 with two runs scored and one run batted in, while White, a Brown Deer, Wisconsin, native, went 3 for 4 with a run scored. Two other had multiple hits in the game as Falish used his two hits to drive in a run and score another, while Gruber's two base knocks led to a run scored. Nuetzel led the Pack with two RBI.

Baker tossed four innings and struck out four batters, while giving up two runs, one of which was earned, no five hits and three walks. Freshman Jack Poellet took over for two innings, during which he fanned two batters, surrendered two earned run, gave up three hits, and walked two batters. The loss fell to second year arm Braycen Burg (1-1) after 1.1 innings with two earned runs, one hit, one walk, and two K's. Aaron Ploszay struck out three batters in his 1.2 innings on the hill, which resulted in two unearned runs on a hit and a walk.

Up Next:

Madison College (26-8) continues a 12-game homestand on Tuesday, April 21 with a doubleheader against in-state and Region 4 rival Milwaukee Area Technical College (18-26). The WolfPack have dominated the all-time series by a 102-16 margin. First pitch at Robin Roberts Field is set for 2:00 p.m. and will be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv. Live stats are available via the GameChanger app.

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