Kankakee, Madison repeat as Region IV DII champions with impressive showings
FREEPORT, ILL. - Two teams played head and shoulders above the rest at the Region IV Division II Softball Tournament, and as a result, Madison College and Kankakee Community College earned repeat championships on Sunday. The top-seeded WolfPack claimed the District B title for the second time in program history after defeating Prairie State College 7-0 in the title game, while the top-seeded Cavaliers used a 16-5 win over Illinois Valley Community College to earn the District C trophy for an impressive 20th straight year.
Madison College (41-10), currently ranked #8 in the NJCAA Division II Poll, outscored its opponents 19-1 over three games to boost its winning streak to 13 straight. The WolfPack followed pitchers Maddie Fink and Jordan Martin as the freshman tandem allowed just six hits over 20 innings. Three of those hits led to an unearned run in a 4-1 win over #4-seeded Triton College (30-25) to open the tournament. The 'Pack then posted back-to-back shutouts of #2-seeded Prairie State College (27-20) in the semifinals and finals by scores of 8-0 and 7-0, respectively.
Kankakee Community College (32-18-1) also needed just three wins to continue their extended run of dominance within the region. The Cavaliers racked up a 30-6 advantage in runs scored behind six total home runs, two each from Gabriel Schultz, Faith Harris, and Ashley Riner. The perennial power opened with a 6-1 defeat of #4-seeded Illinois Valley Community College (22-13) to advance to the semifinals, where pitcher Maddie Wallace no-hit McHenry County College (12-17) in an 8-0 decision in five innings. In the championship, IVCC returned after back-to-back wins in the loser's bracket, but KCC was too much in a 16-5 victory.
The two teams will compete at the 2019 NJCAA Division II Softball Championships in Clinton, Mississippi, from May 22-25. Tournament seeding, matchups, and game times are expected to be announced on Monday, May 13.
District B All-Tournament Team
Danny Gumz - Madison College
Maegan Brookins - Madison College
Jordan Martin - Madison College
Irene Tomasovic - Madison College
Maddie Fink - Madison College
Alyssa Gill - Prairie State College
Sophia Barbosa - Prairie State College
Karly Kos - Prairie State College
Haley Bohne - Triton College
Nicole Donnawell - Triton College
Coach of the Year
Leo Kalinowski
District C All-Tournament Team
Mikayla Cole - Kankakee Community College
Gabby Schultz - Kankakee Community College
Ashley Riner - Kankakee Community College
Maddie Wallace - Kankakee Community College
Hailey Baker - McHenry County College
Brianne Weiss - McHenry County College
Katie Beebe - Waubonsee Community College
Coach of the Year
Keith Cooper
(Images courtesy of Madison College Athletics & Kankakee Community College Athletics)