Temperatures have been unseasonably cold as April rolls through, but Madison College bats have stayed hot since their time in the desert.

WolfPack baseball has swept their last four doubleheaders, winning eight games consecutively and outscoring their opponents 64-22 over the streak.

Madison College set the precedent for their season at the home opener against Kishwaukee College late in March during which they beat the Kougars, 10-0 and 3-0, respectively. 

The first matchup saw sophomore Matt Hamilton get his home debut on the mound.  He held Kishwaukee to just five hits over five and two-thirds innings pitched and moved to 3-0 on the season.  Troy Hickey closed the game, picking up a strikeout for the final out of the game.

The WolfPack batsmen made it a comfortable outing for Hamilton, posting five runs in the second frame of the game. Lucas Trebian kicked off the scoring, driving in baserunner Carl Valk. Sluggers Walker Jenkins and Adam LaRock also contributed with RBI singles in the inning.

The fourth inning was highlighted by a 2-RBI single to right field from Henry Henk.  The ‘Pack sealed the deal in the sixth, triggering the 10-run rule with a strong single to left field from Trebian.

The second act was more of the same, but this time with Eliot Turnquist on the bump for Madison College. He picked up his first win on the season (1-2) in some style, shutting out the Kougars yet again with nine strikeouts over five innings pitched.

Small ball was the name of the game for the ‘Pack on the offensive side.  Freshman Luke Malmanger opened the scoring in the second, bringing in Nathan Aide on a single.  Walker Jenkins started off the third inning with a single, worked his way around the bases, and was brought in this time by a fielder’s choice from Aide.  In the fourth, Jenkins sac-flied to center, which brought home Lucas Trebian.

First-year Andy Neu came in for Turnquist in the sixth, keeping Kishwaukee scoreless and holding them to one hit. Brandon Komar closed the game out this time, recording a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Next up was a trip to Illinois for a doubleheader against the Morton College Panthers.  The WolfPack gave them a bit of deja vu, beating them two more times after handling them in the desert previously this season.

Madison College kicked things off early, hanging a four-spot and a five-spot in the first and second innings. Several Panthers’ errors led to the early lead in the first, and it was followed handsomely in the second by RBI doubles from Jenkins and Gile, and Singles from LaRock, Jarrett Scheelk, and Aide.

Morton College was able to respond with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the second after some defensive errors, but solid pitching from the ‘Pack ensured they would not score again.

First-year Patrick Foldy moved to 2-1 on the season, going five innings and allowing five hits.  Jackson Brown and Taylor Jansen provided backup on the mound, and both threw perfect innings in the sixth and seventh, respectively, to see out the 12-2 victory.

The second leg of the doubleheader went into extra innings, but the ‘Pack was able to get the job done on the back of Adam LaRock, who homered in both the first and the ninth innings, sealing the win with a score of 5-3. Reliever Eliot Turnquist got the win, keeping the Panthers scoreless in the extra innings.

The ‘Pack was back in Madison the following weekend, facing off against the Triton College Trojans.  Fans were in for an old fashioned pitchers duel for the first act of the doubleheader, but Matt Hamilton got the shutout, 1-0, win and moved to 4-0 on the season.

Triton College started the day off with a double to right field, but it would be their only hit of the game. after an incredible defensive performance from Madison College. The only run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth inning after Adam LaRock was hit by a wild pitch and came in to score off a single by Jarrett Scheelk.

Things were back to normal for the ‘Pack batsmen in the second game. They dominated at the plate and won 14-4 in the fifth after 10-run ruling their opponents for the third time this season.  Marquis Reuter was the standout this time around; he went 3 for 3 on the night, including a three-run homer to right field in the third.  Brandon Komar got the win on the mound, and moved the ‘Pack to 11-6 on the season.

Madison College baseball will be playing road games until they return to Madison for a home stand on Friday, April 20 against Sauk Valley Community College.  First pitch is anticipated for 2 p.m.