Normal, Ill. - The Corn Crib saw a doubleheader with results on both 'ears' of the run column on Friday afternoon, as the ICC softball program (28-16) battled with Heartland. In game one, the Cougars powered to a run-rule shortened victory, but fell in a one-run affair in game two due to three late unanswered Heartland runs. 

Game One | ICC COUGARS 9, Heartland 1 (6 inn.)
The first two innings saw all of three base-runners reach between both sides. ICC was the first team to find a hole in the apparent run blockage. Alicia Casas and Amelia Johnson combined for back-to-back hits, with the latter being an RBI double to take an early 1-0 lead. Johnson would later score herself on an error for a 2-0 advantage. 

The bottom of the third would be Kiersten Manning's first inning of work with run support, and she would capitalize. The freshman took the Hawks 1-2-3, with the last two outs of the frame being strikeouts. 

Promptly, the Cougars kept the bats rolling. Alyssa Heerman would reach on the unconventional dropped third strike. All of a few batters later, ICC exploded with three consecutive RBI hits off the bats of Johnson (Double), Sydnee Usherwood (Two-Run Single), and Olivia Sitrnaman (Single). What was a slim lead had suddenly ballooned to a near-Mercy Rule threshold. 

But then the runs went silent again. It wasn't until the top of the sixth that Heather Doty's squad sent it home. Olivia Drish (RBI double) and Manning (Two-Run Single) scored runs on consecutive plate appearances to, for the time being, put the game in mercy rule.

Alas, the Hawks had at least one more shot at the plate. An RBI triple with two outs made it 9-1, but that would be all the Hawks could get against Manning in the circle, who was terrific. Manning finished with a final line of 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 6 strikeouts. 

Game Two | Heartland 8, ICC COUGARS 7
Game two was a much different story. It didn't look like it would be at first though. After the Hawks had flown out to an early 3-0 lead after two, the ICC bats would come alive once again. A ten-batter, six-run inning would have them doubling up the Hawks. It was all on zero extra base hits. Drish (Two-Run Single), Stirnaman (Error), Drish (Steal of Home), and Hillary Mason (Two-Run Single) powered the onslaught.

A doubleheader sweep perhaps started to creep into the minds of the ICC faithful when an Alyssa Heerman RBI single in the fourth gave the Cougars a four-run lead at a 7-3 clip. 

Unfortunately, that would be the last run of the game for ICC, and it would not be enough. The host Hawks would storm back on a combined five-run, four-hit charge to take an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the sixth. 

That would lead to a closing of the door in the top half of the seventh and sending the Cougars home with a doubleheader split. 

What's Next?
Only one pair of games remain in the 2022 Regular Season. After a Saturday cancellation of the Triton doubleheader, the Cougars will play host to Lewis & Clark on Sunday at Thome Fields, with first pitch times scheduled for 1:00 & 3:00 PM. You'll recall that the Trailblazers and Cougars just played in Godfrey on Thursday, with ICC sweeping Lewis & Clark by a combined 12-4 score.

Game 1 Box Score - @ Heartland
Game 2 Box Score - @ Heartland