East Peoria, Ill. - The Illinois Central College baseball team (17-22, 13-7) took to the field on a balmy Sunday afternoon at Thome Field, trying to complete a sweep of the Spoon River Snappers (16-24, 4-20). The first game was a thriller, with the Cougars getting a walkoff win 11-10. The series' final game saw the Cougars cruise right from the get-go, taking a 20-3 ballgame in five innings. 

GAME ONE | ICC COUGARS 11, SPOON RIVER 10
For a game that wound up with 21 combined runs, it would start as more of a pitchers' duel. The Cougars had actually gone 1-2-3 in each of the first two innings. In the top of the second for Spoon River, however, noise was made. The Snappers were able to load the bases on a pair of walks and a single. Alas, Gage Burdick shut the door, getting a groundout to Nick Piazza at second base to strand all three runners. 

Despite, as mentioned, going scoreless in the bottom of the second, the Cougars were able to respond in a large way when it came to the bottom of the third. Griffin Roesch led off the inning with a walk, soon followed by an Ashton Horchem hit by pitch. That set the table for Luke Doty hitting a soft two-run single up the middle to take a 2-0 lead. The Cougars weren't done quite yet. Noah Campbell got a double to toe the left field line, scoring three and swelling the lead to 5-0. Kannon Kleine was right behind him, got a soft RBI single into left center field, capping a six-run half inning, and forcing a pitching change. 

After the onslaught, back came Spoon River, scoring three runs unanswered to pull within 6-3. Just like the Snappers had stormed back, so did the Cougars, getting a Kleine RBI single, Campbell scoring on a double play, and a Horchem RBI single to go back up six runs. 

Once again, Spoon River charged on, getting a two-run single, solo home run, and RBI sacrifice fly to cut it to the game's closest margin at 9-8.  

With seven innings to be on the books, and limited time to work with, the Cougars got a Tyler Bishop single and Noah Campbell walk, but both were stranded to keep it at a one-run game going to the seventh. 

After the Snappers drew a two-out walk, it was soon followed by a go-ahead two run home run for their first lead at a 10-9 score.

Come time for the bottom half of the seventh, Roesch led off with yet another walk, and after a strikeout, Horchem would be the game one hero, launching a first pitch home run over the left field fence, and taking the 11-10 final score. 

COUGAR HITTING
Luke Doty (CF) | 1 single, 2 RBI
Bryce Bishop (RF) | 1 double, 1 walk
Kyle Mack (1B) | 1 walk
Tyler Bishop (DH) | 2 singles
Noah Campbell (SS) | 1 single, 1 double, 3 RBI, 1 walk
Kannon Kleine (C) | 2 singles, 2 RBI
Griffin Roesch (3B) | 3 walks
Ashton Horchem (LF) | 1 single, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base

COUGAR PITCHING
Gage Burdick | 4 innings, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Ian McGhiey | 1.1 innings, 5 hits, 5 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Caleb Diver | 1.2 innings, 1 hit, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout

GAME TWO | ICC COUGARS 20, SPOON RIVER 3 (5 INN.)
The first game started as a pitchers' duel and changed course. Game two started as an offensive barrage, and effectively remained as such. 

ICC's bats wasted no time, with Luke Doty sending a first-pitch solo home run over the center field fence for a 1-1 tie. Kyle Mack scoring on an error and a Jacob Castleman RBI sacrifice fly to take the 3-1 lead. 

After the Snappers got an RBI groundout to get it back to a one-run game, the Cougars responded with, despite putting up 11 runs in the first game, their biggest single-inning output of the day. Griffin Roesch continued his leadoff contributions with a solo homer. Kyle Mack drew a walk with the bases loaded. Doty scored on a wild pitch. Bryce Bishop scored on an error. Noah Campbell had an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Mack. Roesch drew a bases-loaded walk, and Ashton Horchem was hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded. The Cougars weren't done yet, either. Kannon Kleine scored on a throw after a Doty single, and Bryce Bishop knocked in both Horchem and Doty to take a comfortable 13-2 lead. 

Helping the Cougars keep their momentum, the Snappers went down 1-2-3 in the third. ICC would add on four more in the third, with Jacob Castleman scoring on an error, a Horchem RBI single, a Doty RBI single, and a Bishop RBI single. 

A Kleine sacrifice fly and Jake Stewart two-run double capped an impressive 20-run effort. 

COUGAR BATTING
Luke Doty | 2 singles, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 walk
Tyler Hansen | 1 walk
Bryce Bishop | 1 single, 1 double, 3 RBI, 1 hit by pitch
Jake Stewart | 1 double, 2 RBI
Kyle Mack | 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch
Tyler Bishop | 1 double, 1 RBI
Noah Campbell | 1 double, 2 RBI
Jacob Castleman | 1 RBI, 2 walks
Kannon Kleine | 1 single, 1 double, 1 RBI
Griffin Roesch | 1 double, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 1 walk
Ashton Horchem | 1 single, 1 RBI, 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base
Riley McCallister | 1 hit by pitch

COUGAR PITCHING
Cole Thomas | 4 innings, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
Chase Martin | 1 inning, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ Carl Sandburg Chargers
Wednesday, April 17th - 3:00 PM
Bill Hungate Complex - Galesburg, Ill.