East Peoria, Ill.---Just like the weather, the ICC softball bats warmed up on Saturday as they defeated College of DuPage 12-3 and 11-8 in their first home games this spring at Thome Field..  ICC pounded out 25 hits to go along with strong pitching performances from Hanna Evans and Kiersten Manning, moving the Cougars' record to 13-7.

Game 1:
Each team scored a run in the opening inning and DuPage took a 3-1 lead in the top of the 3rd but ICC broke the game open scoring six runs in the bottom of the 3rd to go up 7-3.  The Cougars added three more scores in the 4th and two runs in the 5th to win by the 10-run rule.  Evans helped her own cause with a 4-4 effort from the plate with 4 RBI, including a double. 

Olivia Drish was 3-4 and Sydnee Usherwood and Allie Scrivner each had 2 hits while Amelia Johnson also had 2 RBI with a double.

Evans got the win, pitching four innings, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out six.  Neely Rogers pitched one scoreless inning. 

Game 2:
Manning fanned 10 batters in four innings while allowing just two hits and one earned run to help the Cougars race out to a 7-2 lead after four innings. But the Chaparrals got a run in the 5th and added four runs in the top of the 6th to knot the score at 7-all.  ICC responded with four runs in the bottom of the 6th to get the victory.

Priscilla Peek (3 RBI) and Syndee Usherwood (2 RBI) each blasted home runs while Hillary Mason went 3-4 with an RBI. Scrivner went 2-3 with a double and Savanah Clifton had a double with 3 RBI.  

Drish got the win, pitching three innings and striking out three.

Next up:  The Cougars will be back in Region 24 action on Sunday (April 10) as they travel to Champaign to take on Parkland (21-14) in a 12pm double-header.  The game will be shown on ICC Softball Facebook Live.