East Peoria, IL - The Illinois Central College Baseball team (6-18, 1-7) returned to the confines of Thome Field on Monday afternoon to take on the Lincoln Land Loggers (14-9, 7-5) in the final two games of their MWAC series against each other. Similar to Saturday, the Loggers bats were prevalent, combining for 28 runs and 29 hits on the day for a 17-9 and 11-2 sweep of the day and of the four-game series. 

GAME ONE | LINCOLN LAND 17, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 9
There was plenty of offense in the first game, but the eventual 26 combined runs didn't exactly get off to the most methodical start, with the Loggers going up 1-0 in the top of the first on a wild pitch. 

ICC went right to work in their half. Back to back singles from Aidan Fulton and Thomas Krueger set up Ryan Brucker, who, after Fulton and Krueger had advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, lined an RBI single into right field to score both of them and switch the lead to the Cougars at 2-1. 

Lincoln Land would counter with extra base hits, using an RBI triple and three-run home run to add on another lead change, with the visitors now up 5-2 after one and a half. 

After David Ripke singled, Kaiden Lucero singled, and Fulton was hit by a pitch, that had the bases loaded with just one out for Krueger, who on a 1-1 count, sent one over the center field fence for a grand slam and erased the entirety of that three-run Logger lead and made it yet another lead change, with ICC ahead 6-5 after two. 

For the interim, it could have been a pitchers duel, but perhaps both offenses were on fumes after 11 runs in the first two frames. It took until the fourth for the Loggers to tie it back up at six runs apiece on an RBI single. By the nature of the game, the Cougars answered almost instantly, with an RBI double from Brucker giving ICC the lead back. 

The excitement was short-lived, as what followed was the Loggers' dagger of an inning in the top of the fifth. An error, two-run triple, RBI single, three-run home run, and RBI double all happened with no outs on the board, suddenly swelling the Lincoln Land lead to 14-7. 

This time, however, the Cougar bats were kept at bay for the most part. The Loggers added on with an RBI double and a pair of RBI singles in the seventh to put the margin at 10 runs.

ICC made a dent in the deficit with Chris Casey drawing a bases-loaded walk and a pinch-hitting Connor Patton getting an RBI single, with the latter setting the final score. 

COUGAR HITTING
Aidan Fulton (CF) | 1 single, 1 hit by pitch
Connor Patton | 1 single, 1 RBI
Thomas Krueger (3B) | 1 single, 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBI
Ryan Brucker (DH) | 1 single, 1 double, 3 RBI
Jayden Malone (RF) | 1 single
Kyle Binder (C) | 1 walk
Jake Stewart (1B) | 1 single, 1 walk
David Ripke (2B) | 1 single, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch
Kaiden Lucero (LF) | 1 single, 2 walks
Chris Casey | 1 RBI, 1 walk

COUGAR PITCHING
Blake Norton (L) | 4 innings, 6 hits, 8 earned runs, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Logan Justus | 6 batters, 4 hits, 5 earned runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts
Cam Clifton | 2.1 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Finn Heath | 0.2 innings, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts

GAME TWO | LINCOLN LAND 11, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 2
For the Loggers, there was no second game slow down. In fact, they may have ramped up. In the first four innings, the Cougars were only able to ge three hits - a Jake Stewart single, Chris Casey single, and Stewart double. 

Lincoln Land used an RBI single, RBI double, RBI single, tag-up, and RBI single to take a 5-0 lead after one and a half. The fourth inning would be the big inning this time around, with a two-double double, error, RBI triple, RBI sacrifice fly, and RBI single putting the Loggers ahead 11-0 after three and a half. 

ICC would score its two runs on the same plate appearance. Casey would take home on an error, and shortly thereafter Thomas Krueger capped his quality afternoon at the plate with an RBI double to set the final score. 

COUGAR HITTING
Kaiden Lucero (CF) | 1 hit by pitch, 1 stolen base
Thomas Krueger (SS) | 1 double, 1 RBI
Jake Stewart (1B) | 1 single, 1 double
Chris Casey (LF) | 1 single, 1 walk
Parker Bellamy (3B) | 1 single

COUGAR PITCHING
Mason Lynch (L) | 3.2 innings, 11 hits, 10 earned runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Spencer Timm | 0.1 innings, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Broker Bailey | 2 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Connor Patton | 1 inning, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ D1 #12 John A. Logan Volunteers (27-5)
Tuesday, March 25th - 3:00 PM first pitch
at Volunteer Field - Carterville, Illinois