Robinson, IL - The Illinois Central College Baseball team (7-25) made the long trek to Parker Field on Tuesday afternoon to take on the D1 Lincoln Trail Statesmen in a non-conference single game. The game got off to a competitive start, but eventually the Statesmen settled in out in the field while ramping up the bats, eventually coming away with a 17-2 win over the Cougars. 

D1 LINCOLN TRAIL 17, ILLINOIS CENTRAL 2
Trailing 2-0 after an inning, the Cougars would counter on consecutive plate appearances, getting an RBI single from Nate Bartman and an RBI sacrifice fly from Kaiden Lucero to tie the game at two runs apiece through the top of the second inning. Alas, Lincoln Trail would score the remaining 15 runs in unanswered fashion. 

The Cougars, meanwhile, would get close to the scoreboard a few times. In the top of the fourth, David Ripke reaching on an error and a Nate Bartman single put two runners on with nobody out, but a fielder's choice and pair of groundouts ended the inning. 

ICC would get two on again in the sixth, this time with one out, by way of Jace Easley reaching on an error and a Lucero single, but a popout and groundout ended that inning. 

Tate Hall would draw a walk in the top of the seventh, but that would be the lone base runner of the final frame, as the Statesmen would take the aforementioned 17-2 victory. 

COUGAR HITTING
Kaiden Lucero (CF) | 2 singles, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Jayden Malone (RF) | 1 walk
Chris Casey (LF) | 1 single
Tate Hall | 1 walk
Colton Williams (C) | 1 single
David Ripke (2B) | 1 walk
Nate Bartman (SS) | 2 singles, 1 RBI
Jace Easley | 1  stolen base

COUGAR PITCHING
Cam Clifton (L) | 3.1 innings, 13 hits, 11 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Spencer Timm | 2.2 innings, 8 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
vs. Spoon River Snappers (10-19, 4-12)
Saturday, April 5th - 12:00 PM (DH)
at Thome Field - East Peoria, IL
Watch Live (AWRE TV)
Live Stats (GameChanger; "25 ICC Cougars Baseball")