East Peoria, Ill. - The ICC softball team will open Region 24 Tourney play on Wednesday, May 4 as they host #5 seeded Lincoln Land at Thome Field.  The teams will play a best of three series, with Game 1 starting at 3pm with Game 2 following.  If a third game is necessary, that is scheduled for Thursday, May 5 at Thome Field.

"We're excited for the tournament and feel we are battled tested," head coach Heather Doty said.  "There's a lot of parity among the Region teams so the tournament is really up for grabs this year.  We feel that we have as good of chance as anyone if we play well."

Doty and assistant coach Kathy Holzhauer have a knack at getting the Cougars to peak at the right time in the post-season as ICC has been to Nationals eight of the last nine seasons (excluding the 2020 COVID year).  Since the coaching duo have taken over the program in 2007, the Cougars have gone to Nationals nine of fifteen seasons.

This year the Cougars have earned the #4 seed and bring in a 28-18 overall record to go along with their 17-11 mark in Region 24 regular season play.  Center fielder Sydnee Usherwood leads the team with a .446 batting average and .504 on-base percentage, with 25 RBI (3rd highest on team).  Third baseman Priscilla Peek also has put up good numbers at the plate with a .325 batting average, .409 on-base percentage, and is second on the team in RBI with 31.  Utility player Olivia Drish has a team-leading 40 RBI with 12 homers so far this season. 

Freshman Kiersten Manning has thrown well in the circle with a 1.88 ERA in 111.2 innings.  She has a 10-5 overall record and has 161 strikeouts with a 10.09 strikeout per seven innings average.  

ICC took three of four regular season games against the Loggers.  On April 15 the Cougars swept LLCC 8-4 and 8-0 and then split in Springfield on April 21 losing 6-1 and winning 4-1.  Lincoln Land comes into the tourney with an 11-27 overall record and 11-15 mark in Region 24 games.

Region 24 Softball Tournament Quarter-final Pairings (region records are in parenthesis)

#8 Lewis and Clark (3-21) at #1 Danville (21-7) in Danville

#7 John Wood (5-21) at #2 Parkland (21-7) in Champaign

#6 Heartland (10-18) at #3 Spoon River (20-8) in Canton

#5 Lincoln Land (11-15) at #4 Illinois Central (17-11) in East Peoria - May 4 (if necessary game May 5)

The winners will advance to this weekend's Region 24 Final Four with games being played at the highest remaining seed.