Gulf Shores, Ala. - The sixteenth ranked ICC softball program (2-3) played its final games in Gulf Shores, Alabama on Saturday, before returning home for a brief stint of games in cold-weather country. The Cougar bats were able to get a high number of hits, but unfortunately, could not shift that into the win column, going 0-2 on the day. 

EAST CENTRAL 15, #16 ICC COUGARS 7
It started like a fairly normal game. One inning in the books, no runs on the board. Come time for the second inning, however, East Central exploded. A three-run double put the Warriors up 3-0. Three straight one-run singles followed, making it 6-0 East Central through the second inning. 

ICC would get its first run of the game, after trailing 7-0, when Kiersten Manning singled, scoring Kylie Hyde. Savanah Clifton followed that up with an RBI single of her own. Shylar Boze - same thing. The Cougars were back within grand slam run range, trailing 7-3. 

A two-run single wrapped the top of the fourth for East Central, who led 13-3. Headed to the bottom of the fifth, the score held - run rule was in play. Alas, the Cougars were not about to back down. The inning got going with consecutive singles from Clifton, Boze, and Alicia Casas. That had the bases loaded for Kelsey Gillette with nobody out. Gillette would get an RBI groundout, following by an Allie Scrivner RBI single, and Olivia Stirnaman RBI groundout, and an RBI single from Hyde, pulling ICC back away from run-rule range, trailing 13-7 after five. 

RBI hits of the triple and single variety for the Warriors added insurance in the top of the seventh and set the final score. 

Hitting Notables:
Clifton | 4 hits, 1 RBI
Hyde | 2 hits, 1 RBI
Manning | 2 hits, 1 RBI
Boze | 2 hits, 1 RBI
Stirnaman | 1 hit, 1 RBI
Scrivner | 1 hit, 1 RBI

NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE 4, #16 ICC COUGARS 0
Chipping away. That's what the Northwest Florida State Raiders did to bolster their lead over ICC.

That lead, however, was a mere 2-0 all the way through the bottom of the fifth inning, and that's when the Raiders shut the door. A lead off walk was followed by a two-run home run to set the 4-0 final score. 

ICC actually out-hit the Raiders (6-5), spreading the wealth, with six players each with one hit. 

Hitting Notables:
Stirnaman | 1 hit
Hyde | 1 hit
Drish | 1 hit
Manning | 1 hit
Clifton | 1 hit
Scrivner | 1 hit

Pitching Notables:
Manning | 6 innings, 6 strikeouts

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Southeastern Iowa Dome Tournament
vs. #3 Des Moines Area Bears (0-0)
Friday, February 24th - 1 PM
@ FunCity Turf - Burlington, Iowa
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