MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee Area Technical College softball dropped a 9–6 decision in Thursday's doubleheader opener at Madison College and played to an 11–11 tie in the nightcap before the game was suspended in the top of the seventh due to worsening field conditions. The Stormers fell to 8–19 overall, extended their losing streak to six games, and remained winless on the road this season.
Despite the results, MATC showed plenty of offensive life across both contests. Defensive miscues and one decisive inning proved costly in Game 1, while a back‑and‑forth slugfest in Game 2 was halted before either side could break the tie.
"I was proud of how our team battled back, but too many defensive miscues earlier in the game were too much to overcome," MATC head coach Joe Kuntner said of Game 1.
GAME 1: Madison 9, Stormers 6 (7 Innings)
MATC struck quickly in the top of the first.
Mia Carani doubled with one out and scored one batter later when
Amira Baldon launched a two‑run homer to left for a 2–0 lead. Madison answered immediately with a leadoff triple and an RBI single, then tied the game on an infield error.
Carani sparked MATC again in the third, ripping a two‑out triple before Baldon delivered an RBI double to put the Stormers ahead 3–2. Madison responded with three straight singles to tie the game, then took a 4–3 lead on a bases‑loaded hit‑by‑pitch.
The decisive blow came in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff single, another single and a walk loaded the bases, Madison connected for a grand slam to cap a four‑run inning and seize an 8–3 advantage.
MATC chipped away in the fifth when
Alyssa Pavlovich drew a two‑out walk and later scored on Carani's RBI double. Madison added another run in the bottom half to push the margin to 9–4.
The Stormers mounted one last push in the seventh.
Jayden Moss opened the inning with a leadoff double, and an error put another runner aboard.
Emma Roeper followed with an RBI single, and a fielder's choice recorded the first out while moving runners into scoring position. Carani added an RBI groundout to make it 9–6, and Baldon drew a walk to extend the inning before a lineout ended the rally with two runners stranded.
Starter
Chloe Lago took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk over 2.1 innings.
Ellie Brzek followed with 0.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout.
Brooke Peters worked the final three innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with one strikeout and no walks.
Baldon led the Stormers at the plate, going 2‑for‑3 with a two‑run homer, three RBIs and a walk. Carani added three hits, including two doubles and a triple, finishing with two RBIs and two runs scored. Moss chipped in a double and a run, while Roeper added an RBI single.
GAME 2: Stormers 11, Madison College 11 (Suspended, T7)
MATC and Madison traded momentum throughout a back‑and-forth nightcap before the game was suspended in the top of the seventh due to rain with the score tied 11–11. The Stormers produced 11 hits, capitalized on five Madison errors, and had four players record multi‑hit efforts in one of their most complete offensive showings of the season.
MATC struck first in the opening inning when
Jayden Moss drove a two‑RBI double into the right‑center gap for a 2–0 lead. Madison answered with a leadoff solo homer in the bottom half, then tied the game 2–2 in the second on an RBI triple.
The Stormers regained the lead in the third on
Ellie Brzek's RBI single, but Madison countered with an RBI double to even the score at 3–3.
MATC manufactured two runs in the fourth. Ava D'Aquisto executed a sacrifice bunt to score a runner from third, and Moss followed with an RBI single to make it 5–3. Madison continued to chip away, scoring single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings before stringing together three RBI singles to take a 7–5 lead through five.
The Stormers responded with a four‑run sixth inning without recording a hit, capitalizing on three Madison errors and two walks to surge ahead 9–7.
Madison answered again in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game 9–9 on an RBI single and RBI double.
MATC reclaimed the lead in the seventh. With two outs and two runners aboard,
Emma Roeper lined an RBI single to left, and Brzek followed with another run‑scoring single to push the Stormers ahead 11–9. Madison opened the bottom of the seventh with a hit‑by‑pitch and later plated two runs on a pair of RBI singles to tie the game 11–11 before the umpires suspended play due to worsening field conditions.
Alyssa Pavlovich went 2‑for‑4 with two singles, a walk and two runs scored, while
Mia Carani added two singles, two walks and a run. Moss finished with two hits, including a double, and drove in a team‑high three runs to go along with a walk. Brzek added two singles, two RBIs and a run scored as MATC totaled 11 hits in the suspended game.
In the circle, starter
Jordan Hanserd worked three innings and allowed three earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Maiya Tearney followed with three innings of relief, giving up two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts, while
Lily Dorado and
Brooke Peters also saw limited action out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT
MATC (8–19) continues its road stretch Friday with another doubleheader at Rock Valley College, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Rockford, Wis.
