Danville, Ill. - Seventeen runs, sixteen hits, two home runs, a triple, five doubles...to say the Illinois Central College softball team was locked in for their Region 24 championship game against Danville on Monday afternoon at Winter Park would be an understatement. The #4 seeded Cougars took a big lead early and never let up as they rolled to a decisive 17-2 victory over the #1 seeded Jaguars to advance to the NJCAA National Tournament in Oxford AL. It is the ninth time in the past ten seasons (excluding the Covid-shortened season in 2020) and the 10th time in the last 16 seasons that the Cougar Softball team has qualified for Nationals.
"What a complete game we played today," head coach Heather Doty said. "It was great to see our team put together such a strong performance in this type of game. We've battled a lot of adversity this season with injuries and illnesses so we're just proud of our team for sticking together and playing well when it mattered most."
The Cougars were in the driver's seat after Sunday's two wins put them in the winner's bracket so they watched the morning game between Parkland and Danville awaiting their championship game opponent. PC versus DACC was a pitcher's duel that ended in the bottom of the 7th with DACC scoring on a suicide squeeze to win 1-0 in thrilling fashion.
Any momentum Danville might have carried from that game was squelched quickly as ICC scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone.
Sydnee Usherwood led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
Olivia Drish drew a walk and then
Kiersten Manning hit a two-run homer to left field as ICC went up 3-0.
Priscilla Peek smacked a double but was out on a fielder's choice advancing to third, but wth
Alyssa Heerman on first,
Savanah Clifton and
Alicia Casas both singled to load the bases.
Allie Scrivner hit a grounder up the middle where all runners were safe, scoring Heerman to make it 4-0.
The Cougars kept at it as Usherwood and Sitrnaman each hit RBI singles for three more runs and Drish added a two-RBI double as the Cougars led 9-0.
Despite walking the lead-off batters in each of the first three innings, Manning was able to steer clear of trouble until the fourth. After a Jaguar reached on an error, DACC hit a single and a triple to make the score 9-2. Another single had the Jaguars looking for more, but Manning fielded a bunt and threw the runner out trying to score at home and then Casas alertly threw down to second to get the runner to end the inning.
The Cougars got the runs right back as Drish led off the fourth with a single and then watched Manning let loose and send another one over the fence, this time to straight out center field to put ICC ahead 11-2.
ICC wasn't done yet, scoring six more in the bottom of the fifth. Hitting highlights were a Scrivner double, Usherwood single, Heerman RBI double, and Clifton two-RBI single to give the Cougars their commanding lead.
Manning and Company sailed to the finish, with the game ending on a strikeout as the Cougars celebrated. Manning (15-5) struck out six while scattering six hits to pitch her fifth complete game in six days.
"The bar has been set high for this program and after not making it to Nationals last season, our returning players were very motivated to get us back there," Doty said. "I can't say enough about their leadership, the hunger of our freshmen, and the overall resiliency of this team. We're so proud of their efforts and are happy to be able to experience this and get a chance to go back."
Up next: ICC (33-18) will await their seeding and then head to the National Tourney in Oxford, AL on May 24-28.
Hitting leaders:
Sydnee Usherwood 3-4 (triple, 2 RBI)
Kiersten Manning 2-4 (2 HRs, 4 RBI)
Savanah Clifton 2-4 (2 RBI)
Olivia Drish 2-4 (double, 2 RBI)
Alyssa Heerman 2-4 (double, 2 RBI)
Allie Scrivner 1-3 (double, RBI)
