East Peoria, Ill. - Pitchers Travis Lutz, Cameron Glick, and Garrett Peterson were just what the doctor ordered, combining to limit John Wood to just one run in the ICC baseball team's  4-1 and 2-0 wins in M-WAC action on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Thome Field.  Lutz fanned seven Blazers in seven innings in the opener to earn the win while Glick pitched two scoreless innings to get the save and then in Game 2, Peterson threw a seven inning shutout to give ICC the sweep.  The wins were important as ICC battles to stay  in the running for a spot in the upcoming Region 24 post-season tourney.

"We finally put together a couple of complete, well-played games with great pitching, defense, and timely hitting," head coach Brett Kelley said.  "We were able to manufacture some runs and get some by the long ball and add to the lead in each game."  

Game 1 | ICC 4, John Wood 1
Lutz gave up a lead-off single but then sat down eleven straight JWCC batters. After a harmless single in the top of the fourth he continued to roll, retiring the next seven batters.

ICC scratched a run across in the bottom half of the fourth as Max Jones and Tyler Wessels singled and Jones later scored on a fielders choice.  The Cougars added three more in the bottom of the fifth as Coltin Quagliano and Brody Reed singled and then Ben Nofsinger went yard (moving his record of homers in a season at 18), putting ICC up 4-0.

Lutz worked his way out of a seventh inning jam, limiting JWCC to just one run.  Glick came on for the save, notching three strikeouts in the final two innings to help give ICC the win.

Along with Nofsingers blast, Quagliano and Reed each went 2-4 and Tyler Wessels went 2-2 from the plate.

Game 2 | ICC 2, John Wood 0
Both Peterson and the Blazer starting pitcher kept the hitters off-balance in Game 2.  

The Cougars found a way to score in the bottom of the sixth as Reed singled and advanced to second on a passed ball.  With two outs, Lutz reached base on an error that scored Reed and then Jake Burge came through with an RBI double as the Cougars went up 2-0.

That was all the run support Peterson needed as he struck out five while giving up just three JWCC hits.

Lutz went 2-3 (double), Burge went 1-3 (double), and Quagliano also had a double.

Next up:  The Cougars (13-23) will head to Quincy on Sunday to finish up the series with John Wood (16-28-1) in a 1pm double-header.  Brady Brecklin will get the nod in Game 3 with Joe Nelan starting in Game 4.