Quincy, Ill. - Olivia Strawn's bunt single in the top of the 8th inning helped the Illinois Central College softball team earn their second sweep of the week with 8-1 and 5-4 (in 8 innings) wins over John Wood on Friday afternoon. Emily Compton and Bailey Herrick were solid in the circle while Courtney Campbell and Graci Guenther each added two RBI for the Cougars (17-18). JWCC dropped to 6-28.

Game 1: Illinois Central 8, John Wood 1
JWCC struck first, scoring one run in the bottom of the second. The Cougars answered quickly in the top of the third as Nivarri Oredina and Kayleigh Harr singled. Guenther came through with a two-out single to center field to score Oredina and knot the score at 1-1.

The Cougars put up a five-spot in the fourth to break the game open. Zoe Eeten got things started with a double and scored on a double by Marlee Brown. Campbell then blasted a triple and scored on an Oredina bunt single for a 3-1 lead. Harr hit another double to put runners on second and third and a Bailey Herrick grounder scored Oredina. A triple by Guenther scored Harr for a 6-1 advantage.

ICC continued to manufacture runs as Brown singled in the fifth and came home on a Campbell double.  Kelsey Bartels added another run for the Cougars as her single brought in Campbell for the final margin.

Compton controlled the Blazer bats, allowing just two base runners after the second inning. She struck out the side in the seventh to end the game.

COUGAR HITTING
Courtney Campbell | 3-4, 2 RBI, triple
Marlee Brown | 3-4, double, RBI
Kayleigh Harr | 3-4. double
Graci Guenther | 2-4, 2 RBI, triple
Zoe Eeten | 2-4, double
Kelsey Bartels | 1-5, RBI
Bailey Herrick | 1-4, RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Emily Compton | 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 10 K

Game 2: Illinois Central 5, John Wood 4 (8 inn.)
The nightcap wasn't quite as easy for the Cougars, but timely hitting saved the day. After Oredina reached base on an error in the first, she scored on Reagan Linder's triple to center field. Kayleigh Harr added an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

JW scratched a run in the bottom of the first and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a double, single, and walk. The Blazers added another run in the fifth for a 4-2 lead.

The Cougars tied the score in the top of the sixth as Harr and Herrick singled and Cassidee Bauer sacrifice bunted them into scoring position. Strawn lined a 1-2 pitch to center for a double to score Harr and Herrick and pull the Cougars even at 4-all. 

Both defenses held over the next two innings, sending the game into extras.  In the top of the eighth, Herrick led off with a double and moved over to third on a Bauer grounder. Strawn then had a bunt to the first base side, allowing Herrick to score the game-winning run.

In addition to fanning ten Blazer batters, Herrick allowed no base runners in the final three innings for the win. 

COUGAR HITTING
Olivia Strawn | 1-4, 3 RBI
Reagan Linder | 2-4, RBI, triple
Nivarra Oredina | 2-4
Kayleigh Harr | 2-4
Bailey Herrick | 2-4, double

COUGAR PITCHING
Bailey Herrick | 8 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 10 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS 
Monday, April 14 - 3:00 pm (DH)
vs. Heartland (10-13-1)
Thome Field - East Peoria, IL 
Watch Live: https://www.awre.tv/signup?next=/channel/t83621
Live Stats (GameChanger; "Illinois Central College 2025")