Two rallies lead to baseball's 7-6 win over Madison (Wisc.)

  MESA, AZ   - Coming from behind in both the sixth and eighth innings the Mesa baseball team scored a 7-6 win over Madison (Wisc.), a team that reached the NJCAA Division II semi-finals a year ago.

  The T-Birds (26-5) took their eighth straight win. The Wolfpack, opening their season with ten games in the Valley of the Sun, are now 3-5.

  Trailing 6-5 entering the bottom of the eighth, MCC jumped on reliever Jared Horton for two runs and then watched Danny Lutz (So., Phoenix, AZ/Shadow Mountain H.S.) strike out the side in the ninth for the save.

  The T-Birds opened the eighth with a pair of hits. Mitchell Morimoto (Fr., Issaquah, Wash/Issaquah H.S.) belted his second double of the game, adding to his nation-leading total of 16. Brady Bate (Fr., Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork H.S.) followed with one of his own and moved to third on the throw to the plate. Jacob Boston (Fr., Chandler, AZ/Hamilton H.S.) hit a fly ball to left that scored Bate.

  Mesa had jumped to a quick, 2-0, lead in the first. Alex Gudac (So., West Jordan, Utah/Juan Diego Catholic H.S.) and Casey Moses (So., North Las Vegas, Nev/Centennial H.S.) both singled. After Moses stole second Jordan Zimmerman (So., Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain H.S.) drove both in with a double.

  Madison picked up two runs in the fourth without a hit, but drawing four walks. The Wolfpack added two more in the sixth on a two-run double by Sam Hurt.

  That put MCC behind, 4-2, but not for long.

  In the bottom of the inning Mesa plated three.

  Zimmerman led off with a single, Morimoto doubled and Boston singled to provide what would be the go-ahead runs.

  Moses and Zimmerman each finished with two hits.

  The T-Birds will visit Central Arizona Saturday for an ACCAC doubleheader starting at noon.