East Peoria, Ill. - The bats of Kayleigh Harr, Nivarra Oredina, and Bailey Herrick helped the Illinois Central College softball team to a sweep of Heartland on Monday, winning 8-7 and 10-6 in Region 24 action at Thome Field. Harr's walk-off single propelled ICC to a dramatic win in the opener, as the trio combined for 12 RBI, five home runs, and four doubles on the day. 

ICC's record is now 19-18 while HCC fell to 10-19-1. 

Game 1: ICC 8, Heartland 7
The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second but a Marlee Brown solo shot evened the game up in the bottom half at 1-1.  Harr belted a solo homer to give ICC a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the third.

Heartland cranked up their bats in the top of the fourth using a solo homer, double, two errors, and single to take the lead back at 4-2.

Zoe Eeten walked and scored on a Courtney Campbell double in the bottom of the fourth.  Campbell crossed home on two Hawk errors, tying the score at 4-all.

HHC took a 7-4 lead in the top of the fifth with two singles, a hit batter, and an error.

Bartels started a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth with a single and Harr knocked her in with a double. Bailey Herrick singled on a line drive to center field to score Harr and Cassidee Bauer drew a walk.  Olivia Strawn then smacked an RBI double to right field to tie the game at 7-all.  

Pitcher Broghan Hall induced a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to set up the exciting finish. With one out, Campbell reached base on an error but got out on a fielder's choice on an Oredina grounder. Bartels came through with a two-out single that advanced Oredina to second.  Harr then punched a 3-2 pitch just past the first baseman's glove to score Oredina for the game-winner.

For the game, the Cougars had 15 hits to HCC's 8 but errors allowed the Hawks to stay close as the Cougars committed five.  Pitcher Broghan Hall got the win.

COUGAR HITTING
Kayleigh Harr | 3-5, 3 RBI, HR, double
Olivia Strawn | 2-4, 2 doubles, RBI
Bailey Herrick | 2-4, RBI
Marlee Brown | 1-3, HR, RBI
Courtney Campbell | 1-4 double, RBI
Kelsey Bartels | 4-5
Nivarra Oredina | 2-5

COUGAR PITCHING
Broghan Hall | 7 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 2 ER

Game 2:  ICC 10, Heartland 6
The Cougars took control from the onset, scoring six runs in the first two innings. Oredina stroked a lead-off double and after Harr drew a two-out walk, Cassidee Bauer had a two-RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

The Hawks answered with a solo home run in the top of the second but ICC responded with singles by Zoe Eeten and Campbell.  Oredina cleared the bases with the first of two home runs, making the score 5-1.  Harr teed off for a solo homer and a 6-1 lead.

Heartland also took advantage of the winds blowing out as they hit two solo home runs in the top of the third to pull to within 6-3.

The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Harr singled, followed by a Herrick homer and an 8-3 ICC lead. The Hawks added two runs in the top of the sixth, but the home team got the runs back on Oredina's second homer and back-to-back doubles by Harr and Herrick to go up 10-4.  

HCC continued to battle turning two singles, two walks, and a hit batter into two runs before pitcher Emily Compton shut the door for the win.  She went the distance, fanning six on the evening. 

COUGAR HITTING
Nivarra Oredina | 3-4, 4 RBI, 2 HRs, double
Kayleigh Harr | 3-4, RBI, HR, double
Bailey Herrick | 3-4, 3 RBI, HR, double
Zoe Eeten | 2-3
Cassidee Bauer | 1-4, 2 RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Emily Compton | 7 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 6 K

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Tuesday, April 15 - 3:00 pm (DH)
at #24 Parkland (27-11)
PC Softball Field - Champaign, IL 
Watch Live: https://www.awre.tv/signup?next=/channel/t83621
Live Stats (GameChanger; "Illinois Central College 2025")