Normal, Ill. - The Illinois Central College baseball team had the opening game of the Central District Tournament against #5 Heartland within their grasp on Thursday afternoon, but a big fifth inning for the Hawks allowed them to take the game 14-5 in seven innings at the Corn Crib. 

The teams played to a 3-all tie after the one inning and then sat through a three-hour rain delay before resuming the opening game of the four-team tourney.  Originally, the Cougars would have had to play in the elimination game on Thursday night but the rain pushed the game back to 11am on Friday.  ICC (25-34) will face East Central College (37-20) from Union, MO.

The Cougars got the start they needed as lead-off man Luke Doty singled to center and stole second.  He scored on a Tyler Bishop RBI single to center and then Noah Campbell cracked a home run over the left field fence making the score 3-0.  

Heartland got off to a similar hot start with two singles and a walk to quickly load the bases in the bottom half.  But Cougar starter Gus Lucas settled in and struck out the next batter and induced a grounder for a force out to keep the Hawks off the board.  However, the next two Heartland hitters singled to plate three runs for the 3-3 tie before Mother Nature halted the action. 

After the teams warmed back up, Nick Piazza doubled to left field on an 0-1 pitch and was brought in on a Doty single to left for a 4-3 lead with just one out.  ICC was looking for more but the Hawks' hurler got two striekouts to end the inning.

Lucas put up zeroes in the bottom of the second and the third but ran into trouble in the fourth.  He quickly got two outs on a ground out and strikeout, but the next batter reached on an error.  The next Hawk was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second.  Heartland then had two base hits for a 6-4 lead.  Unfortunately that was as close as the Cougars would stay.  

Cole Thomas came to the mound in the bottom of the fifth and got the first Hawk to ground out but then gave up a walk and three singles as HCC went up 10-4.  Kyle Miller came to the mound and gave up a homer as Heartland stretched their advantage to 13-4. 

ICC manufactured a run in the top of the sixth courtesy of singles by Kleine, Asthon Horchem, and Piazza but that was all HCC would allow.  The Hawks added a run in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin.

COUGAR HITTING
Noah Campbell | 2-4, 2 RBI, home run
Luke Doty | 2-4, RBI
Nick Piazza | 2-3, RBI, double
Bryce Bishop 1-4, RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Gus Lucas | 4.0 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 K
Cole Thomas | .2 IP, 6 R, 6 ER
Kyle Miller | 1.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Central District Tournament Elimination Game
Friday, May 17 at 11:00 am
at The Corn Crib, Normal, IL
vs. East Central College 
***If the Cougars win the 11am Elimination Game, they would play at 5pm on Friday, May 17
Livestream: https://heartlandhawks.com/watch/?Live=650&type=Live
Tourney website: https://heartlandhawks.com/feature/njcaadistricts24

THURSDAY, MAY 16 RESULTS
Heartland 14, Illinois Central 5
Parkland 15, East Central 5

FRIDAY, MAY 17 SCHEDULE at the Corn Crib, Normal, IL 
11am:  Game 3 - Illinois Central vs. East Central
  2pm:  Game 4 - Heartland vs. Parkland
  5pm:  Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner