East Peoria, IL - In a seemingly rare series of events in 2025, it was a nearly spotless weather day at Thome Field as the Illinois Central College Softball team (27-20) battled the John Wood Blazers (8-40) in the Cougars' regular season finale. It would be a big set of games for ICC, bringing the bats to a run-rule sweep of the day, taking both games by scores of 9-1 and 8-0. 

GAME ONE | ILLINOIS CENTRAL 9, JOHN WOOD 1
The Cougars wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, with an RBI single from Bailey Herrick creating an early 1-0 advantage. John Wood, though, would tie it up in the top of the third with an RBI double. 

In the case of a good response inning, the Cougars got a crooked number in the run coulmn thanks to an RBI single from Kelsey Bartels, RBI double from Cassidee Bauer, and RBI single from Marlee Brown to go up three runs after the third inning. 

Without an out being recorded, ICC started the fourth with a Zoe Eeten walk, Courtney Campbell walk, and Nivarra Oredina single to load the bases. With heavy odds to add on, runs would soon follow. An RBI sacrifice fly for Olivia Strawn, Courtney Campbell swiping home, and another Herrick RBI single created a six-run gap, just below the run-rule threshold. 

John Wood nearly made up some of that deficit in the fifth with consecutive singles to lead off the inning, but a couple of groundouts (plus Bauer picking off a runner to Herrick at third) snuffed that threat. 

In the bottom of the sixth, needing just two runs to 'walk off' by run rule, the Cougars would get just that, with a solo home run from Oredina and an RBI double from Herrick to end the first game of the day early. 

COUGAR HITTING
Nivarra Oredina (SS) | 1 single, 1 triple, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Kelsey Bartels (2B) | 3 singles, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Olivia Strawn (RF) | 1 single, 1 RBI
Bailey Herrick (3B) | 2 singles, 1 double, 3 RBI
Cassidee Bauer (C) | 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk
Marlee Brown (1B) | 2 singles, 1 RBI
Zoe Eeten (CF) | 1 walk
Courtney Campbell (LF) | 1 walk, 1 stolen base
Reagan Linder (DP) | 1 stolen base

COUGAR PITCHING
Broghan Hall (W) | 6 innings, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

GAME TWO | ILLINOIS CENTRAL 8, JOHN WOOD 0
After a brief hiatus from the scoreboard at the game's start, the Cougars, at least initially, used the long ball to spark a big second inning. After Olivia Strawn, Marlee Brown, and Zoe Eeten all singled to start the inning, Olivia Strawn would come home on a fielder's choice. ICC then hit back-to-back home runs off the bats of Courtney Campbell and Nivarra Oredina to take a 5-0 lead. The Cougars weren't done yet in the inning, even, with an RBI double from Graci Guenther and RBI single from Strawn adding up to a seven-run inning. 

The game would reach run rule margin much earlier this go-around, with a Campbell single leading to an error on Oredina's at-bat, allowing Campbell to score for the 8-0 margin. 

Emily Compton held down the circle, keeping the Blazers out of the hit column until the fourth inning. Despite three singles loading the bases in that frame, Compton would strike out three to keep the shutout in tact. 

After the Cougars went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth, the only thing left was to get three outs and end another game ahead of schedule. A double and single from John Wood made for an interesting predicament, but Compton locked in and struck out two more Blazers to shut the door and indeed complete the shutout. 

COUGAR HITTING
Nivarra Oredina (SS) | 1 double, 1 home run, 1 RBI
Reagan Linder (2B) | 1 single
Bailey Herrick (3B) | 1 double
Graci Guenther (C) | 1 double, 1 RBI
Olivia Strawn (RF) | 2 singles, 1 RBI
Marlee Brown (1B) | 1 single
Zoe Eeten (CF) | 1 single
Alaina Creamer (DP) | 1 RBI
Courtney Campbell (LF) | 1 single, 1 home run, 3 RBI

COUGAR PITCHING
Emily Compton (W) | 5 innings, 5 hits, 0 earned runs, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
2025 Region 24 Tournament
Saturday and Sunday - May 3rd & 4th
Times TBA
*More information to come