Rockford, Ill. - The Illinois Central College baseball team (19-26) made the drive north to take on the Rock Valley Golden Eagles in a mid-week non-conference matchup. The Cougars were able to tally seven hits on the afternoon, but a six-run midsection of the game was enough to propel the Golden Eagles to a 7-0 victory. 

ROCK VALLEY 7, ICC COUGARS 0
ICC was able to get two base runners right away in the top of the first, with a Bryce Bishop first-pitch single and Tyler Bishop getting hit by a pitch on a full count, but both would be stranded. Gavin Thompson would toss a 1-2-3 bottom half as well, including a strikeout. A double play stranded a walk in the top of the second to keep the run column blank for the time being. 

Rock Valley, though, would be the first to break through. The Golden Eagles got a double, run-scoring error, RBI single, and single with no outs on the board just yet. That all propelled them to a 2-0 lead. Gus Lucas rebounded nicely, getting a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to keep the damage at 2-0. 

The Cougars stranded an Elliot Seckman hit by pitch in the third, and Rock Valley countered again, getting an RBI single for a 3-0 lead after three. 

While ICC went 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth, the Golden Eagles responded with their biggest inning of the game. After the bases were loaded on a pair of singles and a walk, the combination of a run scoring on a wild pitch as well as a two-run single swelled the advantage to 6-0. 

It seemed like the Cougars had their best chance come in the top of the fifth, getting a Boeye single and Seckman single with just one out. However, a fielder's choice and lineout would strand the both of them and keep the RVC lead at 6-0. 

Noah Campbell drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, but he would be out at second advancing on a fielder's choice. 

Meanwhile, the Cougar defense was doing their collective best to hold strong, including a double play in the bottom of the sixth, with Campbell and Kyle Mack teaming up for a 6-3-6 twin killing to wipe the bases empty.

Singles from Seckman and Bryce Bishop were stranded in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. 

In the bottom of the eighth, the Golden Eagles would add a final run of insurance on a fielder's choice. 

The Cougars did get a leadoff single from Jake Stewart, but a double play and groundout followed, giving Rock Valley the home victory. 

COUGAR HITTING
Bryce Bishop (DH) | 2 singles, 2 stolen bases
Noah Campbell (SS/2B) | 1 single, 1 walk
Jake Stewart (LF) | 1 single
Eli Boeye (C) | 1 single, 1 walk
Elliot Seckman (RF) | 2 singles, 1 hit by pitch
Tyler Bishop (1B) | 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base

COUGAR PITCHING
Gavin Thompson | 1 inning, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Gus Lucas (L) | 1 inning, 3 hits, 1 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Blake Norton | 2 innings, 4 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
Broker Bailey | 3 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Chase Martin | 1 inning, 0 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ St. Charles Cougars
Thursday, April 25th - 3:00 PM
SCC Baseball Field - Cottleville, MO