Joliet, Madison come up empty in NJCAA World Series appearances

GREENEVILLE, TENN. & ENID, OKLA. - It was a short stay for the two Region 4 representatives at two of the three NJCAA Baseball World Series in 2023. Joliet Junior College was eliminated in two games at the NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series at Pioneer Park, while perennial power Madison College suffered the same fate at the NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark.

The Wolves were given the #4-seed in the eight-team field, and after waiting eight years to return to the national stage, saw their opener against #5-seed Northern Essex delayed 24 hours. A true pitcher's duel saw JJC out-hit NECC by a 5-2 margin, however, one of those two hits given up was a solo home run in the fourth inning that provided the game's only run in a 1-0 setback. Joey Boland and Jared Daley combined to strike out 11 opposing batters.

The Wolves returned a day later to square off with #8-seed St. Cloud Technical & Community College in an elimination game, and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a two-run double by Jake Klepacz. The advantage held until the eighth when the Cyclones loaded the bases on three straight singles, and then used a fourth single and back-to-back sac flies to take a 3-1 lead. They added one more in the ninth for a 4-2 decision that ended the Wolves season with a 39-25 record.

Joliet Junior College was awarded the Tournament's Team Sportsmanship Award.

A few states to the west, the WolfPack, back at the Division II World Series for the 5th straight season and 11th time in the last 14 years, opened tournament play as the #4-seed against #5-seed St. Johns River State College making it's first-ever trip. Madison, last year's national runners-up, traded leads with the Vikings over the first three innings. After scoring two runs in the first, they fell behind 3-2 before scoring five runs over three innings to take a 7-3 advantage. A pitching change led to several walks and a four-run sixth inning for SJRSC, which eventually scored ten unanswered runs to claim a 13-7 victory.

A familiar foe was up next in an elimination game against #9-seed Glendale Community College, who had swept the Pack in a March doubleheader in Arizona. The Gauchos plated to runs in the opening half inning, but Madison answered with a run in the second. Unfortunately, that would be their only run of the day, and GCC would eliminate Madison College in a 7-1 ballgame.

Results: Division II | Division III

Brackets: Division II | Division III