OAK CREEK, Wis. – Playing in its first home contest of the 2024-25 spring season, the Milwaukee Area Technical College softball team hosted Kankakee Community College Thursday for a seven-inning doubleheader.
Despite scoring nine runs on a dozen hits in the opener, the Stormers weren't able to overcome an early 8-1 deficit as they fell 12-9 in seven innings.
In the night cap, both offenses were quiet before a seven-run Cavaliers' third-inning lifted them to a 10-2 win over MATC in five innings.
"For us to take the next step in our program, we have to be able to beat teams like this [KCC]," MATC head coach Joe Kuntner said. "Otherwise we will just be in the middle of the pack. We have to be able to take advantage of these opportunities when they are given to us, especially in that first game. We made too many mistakes in the field, which gave them the game."
Game 1: Stormers comeback bid falls just short
Powered by a five-run fifth-inning led by a three-run homer by
Ava Marx, the Stormers were nearly able to erase an early 8-1 deficit before their comeback bid came up just a tad short in the final inning.
MATC's fifth inning eruption allowed them to cut its deficit within two runs before the Cavaliers responded back and eventually took an 11-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Down to their final three outs, the Stormers went on to plate three runs before being stifled with runners on first and second.
"I'm proud how these girls fought back and never gave up, but we gave up way too many mental mistakes in the field to beat a good team like this [KCC], who had a good record last year" Kuntner said.
Trailing 8-1 through four innings of play, MATC finally found its groove in the fifth.
Zoey Murph opened the carnage with a leadoff single, followed by singles from
Taylor Wilson and
Rylyn Paulick. With the bases juiced,
Ryen Pagano barreled a two-RBI single to cut her team's deficit to five.
Ava Marx then followed up Pagano by blasting a three-run shot down near the right field foul pole to help bring the Stormers back within two.
"We started getting our momentum and timing up their pitcher," Kuntner said of his team's five-run fifth inning. "We had a couple hits there in a row and then our bats came around. Ava's three-run blast helped bring us back, but unfortunately we weren't able to get more runs and take the lead."
In the ensuing inning, KCC scored two more runs to make it 10-6 with one inning left to play. The Cavaliers opened the seventh by scoring one run, leaving MATC to try and erase a five-run deficit in the bottom half of the final inning.
The beginning of the comeback bid began immediately with a leadoff single by Paulick, followed by Pagano reaching first on a hit-by-pitch and then an RBI single by Marx. Trailing 12-7 with zero outs and runners on first and second, Jordan Hansred and
Celia May recorded back-to-back RBI singles to cut it within two. It was at this point MATC recorded three straight outs off a pair of groundouts, one of which turned into a double play with runners on first and second, that effectively ended the game.
STATBOOK (Game 1)
Marx went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, including a three-run home run to pace the Stormers at the plate. Paulick went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs. Hansen recorded two singles and one RBI. Murph had a pair of singles and Pagano chipped in three runs, two RBIs and one single.
Eleanor Henschel took the loss, giving up eight runs (six earned) on 13 hits and zero walks over four innings.
Game 2: Stormers' offense goes stale
Much like the temperature drop, MATC's offense went completely cold in the nightcap as the Stormers finished the contest totaling just five hits while going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position in a 10-2 mercy-rule defeat in five innings.
"KCC's starter made it tougher in Game 2 with her electric fastball and riseball, but we have to do better," Kuntner said.
The Stormers immediately fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first after the Cavaliers were able to successfully plate a run off MATC starter
Emma Staudt, who surrendered an RBI sacrifice-flyout to Kayna Nelson after giving up back-to-back singles.
Still right in the thick of things only down 1-0, MATC's defense would go on to allow KCC to break things open in the top of the third. The Cavaliers' offense erupted for seven runs on seven hits, including a three-run blast by KCC's Brittyn Bailey, that helped them take a commanding 8-0 lead.
"KCC is a good hitting team," Kuntner said of the Cavaliers' seven-run third-inning. "They make consistent contact and they hit the ball hard."
Having been hitless through the first two innings against KCC starter Jordyn Butcher, the Stormers finally were able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the third. Down eight runs,
Rylyn Paulick broke Butcher's no-hitter bid with a two-out single that was quickly followed by another single from
Ryen Pagano and then an RBI single by
Ava Marx to make it 8-1.
With its backs against the wall down seven runs, MATC was only able to muster up two more hits between the fourth and fifth innings before going on to be mercy-ruled.
Sophia Hansen barreled a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth, which was quickly followed by a strikeout and RBI double by Pagano.
As a result of the two defeats, the Stormers dropped to 3-8 and 0-2 at home.
STATBOOK (Game 2)
Pagano paced the Stormers with a pair of hits, including one RBI double. Marx contributed one RBI single and a drawn walk.
Sophia Hansen and Paulick each went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Catcher Madi Johnson Hass threw out a runner trying to steal second. Staudt suffered the loss, giving up eight earned runs on 10 hits over three innings of work.
UP NEXT
MATC (3-8) will turn around and host Wisconsin Lutheran College JV for a make-up doubleheader on Friday beginning at 3 p.m.
