OAK CREEK, Wis. — After years of heartbreak, close calls and long afternoons that always seemed to tilt Kankakee's way, MATC finally flipped the script.

On Sunday, the Stormers rewrote program history, earning their first‑ever win over Kankakee Community College with a 3–2 walk‑off thriller in nine innings before adding another 3–2 victory in the finale to complete a breakthrough sweep.

MATC set the tone with resilience in the opener, forcing extra innings before Rylyn Paulick ripped a walk‑off triple to seal a 3–2 win in the ninth. The Stormers then carried that momentum into Game 2, again edging Kankakee 3–2 behind timely hitting and tight late‑inning defense to finish the historic sweep. After years of coming up short in the matchup, MATC finally broke through and earned its first series sweep over the Cavaliers.

"We've had a lot of bad experiences playing KCC in the past, and so to see these girls come up with a sweep against them today, I just can't be any more proud of them," MATC head coach Joe Kuntner said. "These were complete games of defense, timely hitting, and communication by everybody."

Game 1: MATC 3, Kankakee 2 (9 innings)
MATC broke through in dramatic fashion in the opener, earning the program's first‑ever win over Kankakee with a 3–2 walk‑off victory in nine innings on a two‑out RBI triple from Paulick.

Starter Maiya Tearney kept the Stormers in it throughout, working five innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Jordan Hanserd was outstanding in relief, earning the win with four scoreless innings, allowing four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Both teams traded early threats without scoring. Tearney escaped a jam in the first after a leadoff single and a bunt moved a runner to third, ending the inning with a strikeout. MATC then loaded the bases with one out in the third but couldn't cash in after a strikeout and a lineout to left by Amira Baldon.

Kankakee finally broke through in the fifth. A defensive miscue, a double and a perfectly placed bunt loaded the bases before a two‑run single down the first‑base line put the Cavaliers ahead 2–0. Tearney limited the damage with a strikeout and a popout to end the inning.

MATC answered immediately in the bottom half. Ellie Brzek and Emma Roeper drew back‑to‑back walks, and a successful sacrifice bunt by Tearney moved both into scoring position. Paulick followed with an RBI single to make it 2–1, and Baldon tied the game with an RBI groundout. Aniesa Neave nearly delivered the go‑ahead blow, sending a deep drive to the left‑field warning track that was caught to end the inning.

"The girls had a no‑quit attitude," Kuntner said. "We switched the lineup around today to give some girls more opportunities, and they all stepped up."

Hanserd took over in the sixth and delivered a shutdown performance, getting the first two outs before allowing a single and then ending the inning with a strikeout. She repeated the pattern in the seventh — two quick outs, a single, and another strikeout to close the frame — repeatedly making the key pitch to keep the game tied. Roeper nearly ended it in the sixth with a well‑struck flyout to left, and Neave made a sliding catch in foul territory with a runner on second and two outs in the ninth to keep the game level.

"I think Neave's sliding catch really hyped us up just seeing that she put her full effort into it," Paulick said. "I think it helped us all get our heads back into the game and match her energy on the field. I don't think any of us doubted she was catching that ball."

With two outs in the ninth, Paulick dug in at 3–2. Then she unloaded, sending a clean, rising barrel into the right‑center gap and forcing both outfielders into a full chase as it rolled all the way to the wall. Mia Carani scored easily, Paulick slid into third, and the entire dugout stormed out to meet her in a rush of celebration as MATC finally claimed the breakthrough it had been chasing for years.

"I was just looking for my pitch and ready to drive it," Paulick said. "I had just fouled one off, so I knew she was going to throw a fastball down the middle. I saw it and drove it. It felt really good knowing all my teammates were happy for me and that we could finally end that long game."

Paulick finished 2‑for‑5 with two RBIs, including the game‑winner. Baldon added an RBI, while Brzek, Emily Pujanauski and Neave each singled. Alyssa Pavlovich reached three times with a single and two walks, Roeper scored a run and walked, and Mia Carani added a single and a run scored. Hanserd improved to 2–0 in the circle.

Kankakee left nine runners on base, while MATC stranded ten.

Game 2: MATC 3, Kankakee 2 (7 innings)
MATC completed the historic sweep with another tight 3–2 win in the finale, using early offense and three shutdown innings from Chloe Lago to hold off Kankakee and secure the program's second victory over the Cavaliers in a single afternoon.

The Stormers struck first in the opening inning. After Carani reached on an error and Paulick singled, Baldon delivered an RBI single to right to score Carani and move Paulick to second. Paulick advanced to third on a passed ball, but a strikeout and flyout ended the inning with two runners stranded.

Baldon extended the lead in the third, turning on a pitch for a solo homer to left to make it 2–0. "I kind of knew straight off the bat that it was gone," Baldon said.

"It was right down the middle, and I attacked it head‑on."

Kankakee answered in the fourth, using back‑to‑back singles and an RBI hit to cut the deficit to 2–1 before tying the game on a passed ball. With the go‑ahead run charging home on a fielder's‑choice grounder, third baseman Caia Lund made the defensive play of the game as she charged in, fielded cleanly and fired home to cut down the runner and preserve the 2–2 tie.

"We switched Lund's position in the fall from second to third, where she had never played before," Kuntner said. "But her ability to throw from all different arm angles, whether on the run or set, is one of the best in our region. That play at third today was huge for us."

MATC responded immediately in the bottom half. Tearney led off with a double, Pavlovich followed with a single, and Tearney scored on a wild pitch to put the Stormers back in front 3–2. Lund walked to put two on with no outs, but three straight outs kept the margin at one.

Starter Ellie Brzek worked the first four innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Lago took over in the fifth and was outstanding, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and no walks with one strikeout.

Lago worked around a dropped popout in the seventh, inducing two more popouts before a fielder's‑choice grounder to second sealed the sweep and one of the most significant days in program history.

"I definitely think this sweep over KCC is a big confidence boost for this team going forward, and a strong bounce‑back from yesterday," Baldon said.

Baldon led the offense, going 2‑for‑3 with a solo homer and an RBI single. Tearney added a double, a single and a run scored, while Pavlovich singled and walked.

UP NEXT
MATC (7–13) returns to action Tuesday for a home doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran College JV. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., with Game 2 to follow at 5 p.m. at the Oak Creek Campus.